Here I Am!!!!!

Officially reviving this blog...

Expect a series of reviews coming up within the week.

Happy reading, Caffeinated Readers!!!

;-)

Tinkering here and there...

I haven't noticed until now that my sidebar is not right. The Goodreads scripts I installed are not updating! I think it has something to do with some editing I did with the code so I will just have to do it all over again in order for it to update every time I mark a book in Goodreads.

So, I am asking for your patience as I tinker some more in this blog.

Happy Friday, fellow bookworms!

:)

Review: Blood Beyond Darkness

This is the fourth and last book in the Darkness Book Series by Stacey Marie Brown. You can read my reviews of the first three books: Darkness of Light, Fire in the Darkness, and Dwellers of Darkness.

Title: Blood Beyond Darkness
Author: Stacey Marie Brown
Publisher: Twisted Fairy Publishing
Release Date: August 28th 2014
Genre: New Adult | Urban Fantasy | Paranormal Romance
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Kindle Edition
Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads...

After months of searching, Ember and her friends have finally located the Sword of Light, the only weapon capable of destroying Queen Aneira and ending her rule. This is Ember’s destiny. Or so she thought. Now a pact to save the man she loves changes everything.

In this final installment in the Darkness Series, when the truth comes to light, Ember will learn some things are better left in the dark as her world is ripped even further apart. It is no longer a rabbit hole, but a never-ending black void full of endless lies, betrayals, and secrets.

The fight for Earth has begun, and Ember will have to make the ultimate sacrifice to save millions of innocent lives and those she loves.

But this price may be too high—even for her.

My Thoughts...

The Darkness Book Series by Stacey Marie Brown had me wrapped up in a happy bubble for a couple of days. Four books, all unputdownable. The whole series written beautifully, every character essential to the overall story. I fell in love not only with Eli and Ember but also with Mark, Cole, Owen, Cooper, Gabby, West, Lars, and most especially with Cal and Simmons, the pixies. Humor was interjected in every other scene. There's drama as well. Of course, since it's part romance, there were intimate moments which made me love the main characters even more!

I was not too fond of Kennedy's character towards the end. I felt for her struggles especially on the last part but I also felt that she could have been more firm on her decision with regards to Jared. And what's the deal with her and Lorcan? I was happy Lorcan somehow changed for the better because of her but were they together? Was there love between them? Will there be a Book 5 of the Darkness series, Miss Brown? Perhaps, a novella in Lorcan's POV? :) Because I feel there's a need to clarify what's the deal between Kennedy and Lorcan.

Overall, this series exceeded my expectations. It actually went waaaay beyond what I hoped it would be. I dived into the first book not knowing what to expect. I am embarrassed to say that I didn't know Stacey Marie Brown before I was offered to review the books but now I can proudly say that she's become one of my favorite paranormal romance authors!

I am recommending this whole series to everyone who loves a good paranormal romance story. I must admit that this was what I felt while I was fangirling over Twilight, the first book in the saga by Stephenie Meyer. My love for that particular saga dwindled on the second and third book, and sparked a bit for the last one. With the Darkness Series, I am telling you, guys, never have I lost my interest in the story. I couldn't put it down! I picked up one book after another and when I was nearing the end, I felt so sad I didn't want to say goodbye to the gang.

Note: Let me point out that the Darkness Series is totally different from the Twilight Saga. I was talking about what I felt while fangirling for both.

I couldn't be happier I was given the opportunity to read the review the books! Thank you, Rachel Marks and Stacey Marie Brown!

DISCLAIMER: My reviews of all four books of the Darkness Series by Stacey Marie Brown were in no way affected by the fact the e-books were given to me free of charge. Every review I did, the ratings I gave each book, are unbiased and absolutely independent of the author and her publicist.

Review: Dwellers of Darkness

This is the third book in the Darkness Book Series by Stacey Marie Brown. I already posted the reviews for the first two books, Darkness of Light and Fire in the Darkness.

Title: Dwellers of Darkness
Author: Stacey Marie Brown
Publisher: Twisted Fairy Publishing
Release Date: February 27th 2014
Genre: New Adult | Urban Fantasy | Paranormal Romance
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Kindle Edition
Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads...

Some days feel like years, but in Ember Brycin’s case just the opposite is true. Em would be 22 now—if she were human. She’s not. She is a Dae—part Demon and part Fay—with a little Dark Dweller thrown in to make her more of a freak.

Life has become further complicated for Ember since returning from the Otherworld. Besides being continuously hunted by the Seelie Queen, Ember is at the top of the Unseelie King’s list, after breaking her oath with him. No one breaks a vow with the Unseelie King without extreme consequences.

Adding to Ember’s problems is a certain Dark Dweller whose mood has become violent and cruel. As much as she’d like to deny it, there is an undeniable connection between them. Eli is sexy, gorgeous, and frustrating as hell. She also knows he is holding something back, something that could change their relationship forever.

But her problems go way past him. As the tension for war mounts between the Seelie and Unseelie (Light and Dark), the tension at the Dark Dweller’s compound escalates even more as they prepare to obtain the Sword of Light—the only weapon able to kill the Queen.

But is Ember the answer to the location of the sword? Is she the one to fulfill the prophecy? As usual nothing is ever what it seems.

My Thoughts...

Stacey Marie Brown is one kick-ass author! She doesn't disappoint. I love how sizzling the sexual chemistry is between Ember and Eli. I love how independent and brave yet still a girl deep down Ember is. I love how dark and badass Eli is but is always vulnerable when it comes to Ember. The tension between the two, the banters, every charged scene when they are together... totally worth every minute I spent reading this third book in the Darkness series.

I can't stress enough just how addicted I am to this series. I TOTALLY LOVE IT!!!

I've said this in my Fire in the Darkness review, I truly wish these books be made into a TV series. Sooo good!

Review: Fire in the Darkness

This is the second book in the Darkness Book Series by Stacey Marie Brown. I already posted the review for the first book, Darkness of Light.

Title: Fire in the Darkness
Author: Stacey Marie Brown
Publisher: Twisted Fairy Publishing
Release Date: August 31st 2013
Genre: New Adult | Urban Fantasy | Paranormal Romance
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Kindle Edition
Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads...

It's been four weeks since Ember Brycin witnessed what her powers are capable of. The Electrical Current Storm has turned Seattle, Washington into a natural disaster zone. The death toll is in the thousands with countless others homeless and hungry.

And Ember is the one who caused it. Something she will have to live with every day.

Those people who were unable to escape either turned quickly into gangs or live in shelters. Ember, on the other hand, can’t do either. With a price on her head and a Dark Dweller on her ass, she is constantly on the move. Both Light and Dark are hunting her for their own purpose to use her as a weapon or a pawn in the war between the Unseelie King of the Dark and the Seelie Queen of the Light.

Em needs help but doesn’t know who to trust: Lars, the mystery man Torin told her to find? Torin, the Seelie Queen’s personal knight, who has sworn to keep Em safe? Or Eli, who wants to turn her over to the Unseelie King, but whom she has an undeniable, intense connection with?

No matter what she chooses she will probably lose—her life or everything and everyone she loves.

My Thoughts...

Ember is the queen of all kick-ass heroines! In the second book of the Darkness series, Ember is now aware of how extraordinary she is. Part Fae, part Demon. And then something happens in the book that will make Ember even more unique. As what she said, a freak among the freaks! Ha-ha! I just love how sassy Ember is!

The series is really getting to me. I am crazy addicted to it! Eli is such a wet fantasy. Those steamy encounters with Ember are enough to make me want to read more and more. My mind is blown away by how good the flow of the story is. It is crazy good!

I wish someone will make a TV series out of these books. It is so much better than the ones airing right now.

***

Read this book right after I finished Darkness in Light on March 3rd.

Review: Darkness of Light

I was approached and asked if I wanted to review the Darkness Book Series by Stacey Marie Brown. I honestly haven't heard about this book series and even the author herself before I was approached from someone on her team about the offer to read the books for free and review it. As soon as I saw the cover of the first book in Goodreads and, then, read the blurb, I said yes.

Below is the review of the first book in the series.

Title: Darkness of Light
Author: Stacey Marie Brown
Publisher: Twisted Fairy Publishing
Release Date: February 13th 2013
Genre: New Adult | Urban Fantasy | Paranormal Romance
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Kindle Edition
Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads...

Freak. Witch. Crazy. Schizo.

Ember Brycin has been called them all. She’s always known she’s different. No one has ever called her normal, even under the best circumstances. Bizarre and inexplicable things continually happen to her, and having two different colored eyes, strange hair, and an unusual tattoo only contributes to the gossip about her.

When the latest school explosion lands her in a facility for troubled teens, she meets Eli Dragen, who’s hot as hell and darkly mysterious. Their connection is full of passion, danger, and secrets. Secrets that will not only change her life, but what and who she is—leading her down a path she never imagined possible.

Between Light and Dark, Ember finds a world where truth and knowledge are power and no one can be trusted. But her survival depends on finding out the truth about herself. In her pursuit, she is forced between love and destiny and good and evil, even when the differences between them aren’t always clear. At worst, she will incite a war that could destroy both worlds. At best, she will not only lose her heart but her life and everyone she loves. Once the truth is out, however, there will be no going back. And she’ll definitely wish she could.

My Thoughts...

Let me start this with the kiss ass book cover... those eyes of the cover model? Totally captivating! That cover alone captured my interest right away.

Darkness of Light by Stacey Marie Brown is a book which immediately captured my attention from page one. It was a really, really good story! It is about Ember Brycin, a high school student who felt she was going insane seeing things that shouldn't be there, and making things happen supposedly impossible to happen. Because of these things, she was asked to temporarily leave her school and was sent to Silverwood, a facility for troubled teens, where she met Eli Dragen, the bad boy rider. Upon meeting each other, things start to happen to Ember again and it seemed there was a connection between her and Eli.

Eli Dragen. Sigh. Eli. Now that is a male lead character to die for! Dark, mysterious, tall and handsome, with a to-die-for body. Rides a Harley. Totally bad boy! Sex on stick, as described in the book. Ha-ha! Ember, on the other hand, is a female lead character who is totally adorable. She kicks ass and is someone who can stand for herself. Not so much in the beginning of the book but as the story progresses, her strong personality comes through. I totally love both leads!

Then, there's Mark, Ember's stepfather who loves her unconditionally. Ryan and Kennedy, Ember's best friends. The Dark Dwellers Cole, Owen, Cooper, Jared and Gabby, just as interesting as Eli. I slowly fell in love with all of them in every turn of the page.

You need to read this series. At least, start with this book and I am telling you, every minute you spend reading Darkness of Light will make you smile. It will bring you to your happy place. It is a perfect escape to those like me who feel so much better in the world created in books than in the real one.

***

I was given the books last February 25th and only able to start reading it on March 2nd.

Review: Before I Go To Sleep

Title: Before I Go To Sleep
Author: S.J. Watson
Publisher: Harper Collins | Doubleday
Release Date: April 28th 2011
Genre: Mystery-Thriller (Psychological Thriller) | Suspense Fiction | Crime
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Kindle Edition
Rating: (4.5 STARS)

Blurb from Goodreads...

Christine wakes up every morning in an unfamiliar bed with an unfamiliar man. She looks in the mirror and sees an unfamiliar, middle- aged face. And every morning, the man she has woken up with must explain that he is Ben, he is her husband, she is forty-seven years old, and a terrible accident two decades earlier decimated her ability to form new memories.

But it’s the phone call from a Dr. Nash, a neurologist who claims to be working with Christine without her husband’s knowledge, that directs her to her journal, hidden in the back of her closet. For the past few weeks, Christine has been recording her daily activities—tearful mornings with Ben, sessions with Dr. Nash, flashes of scenes from her former life—and rereading past entries, relearning the facts of her life as retold by the husband she is completely dependent upon. As the entries build up, Christine asks many questions. What was life like before the accident? Why did she and Ben never have a child? What has happened to Christine’s best friend? And what exactly was the horrific accident that caused such a profound loss of memory?

Every day, Christine must begin again the reconstruction of her past. And the closer she gets to the truth, the more unbelievable it seems.

My Thoughts...

I have read some other stories where the main character suffers from amnesia, but not one where the memory is wiped clean every morning after a night's sleep. I loved the sense of impending doom on every chapter. It would make you turn the page again and again until you find out what really happened to Christine.

I can't imagine a life wherein every waking moment you will ask yourself where you are, who you're with, what you do. Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson gives us a great perspective if and when that kind of existence happens to anyone of us. It is scary, confusing, frustrating, maddening. I think if I am the one in Christine's place, I will go totally insane!

I would have given this book 5 stars but there were some lapses I would have loved addressed. Like how come nobody was looking for Christine and why her son Adam kept sending letters and pictures to the last facility she was in when their records should have shown Christine was with her husband Ben, Adam's very own father. Another instance was why nobody checked with the cafe when she was attacked, why no one came forward to volunteer information that she was seeing someone there before the incident happened. And some other instances in the story I believe needed some explanation of some sort.

But, all in all, the story is so captivating you will breeze through it.

***

Started reading on March 1st and ended on the 2nd.

Review: The Last Time We Say Goodbye

Title: The Last Time We Say Goodbye
Author: Cynthia Hand
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: February 10th 2015
Genre: Teen & Young Adult | Suicide Fiction
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Kindle Edition
Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads...

There's death all around us.
We just don't pay attention.
Until we do.

The last time Lex was happy, it was before. When she had a family that was whole. A boyfriend she loved. Friends who didn't look at her like she might break down at any moment.

Now she's just the girl whose brother killed himself. And it feels like that's all she'll ever be.

As Lex starts to put her life back together, she tries to block out what happened the night Tyler died. But there's a secret she hasn't told anyone-a text Tyler sent, that could have changed everything.

Lex's brother is gone. But Lex is about to discover that a ghost doesn't have to be real to keep you from moving on.

My Thoughts...

Absolutely heart-wrenching. Be prepared to do some ugly crying especially on the last few chapters of the book. Your heart will ache and hurt for Lexie as she struggles to come to terms with her brother Tyler's suicide. A totally honest take on grief and depression. And the eventual closure, of letting go and moving on with life.

Lexie used to have a happy life - a complete family, a wonderful boyfriend, and a bright future ahead. It all went downhill after Tyler, her younger brother, shot himself on the chest and died. Now, her father's already with someone else, her mother's slowly drinking herself into oblivion, and her brother's dead. She also pushed her boyfriend and friends away. She felt guilty for not being there for her brother when he needed her. She's sliding into darkness and would have succumb to it eventually if not for the care shown to her by her friends.

I've said this time and again, grief is a very powerful emotion. It can trigger a slide into darkness if not addressed properly. A person who is grieving can jump from being sad and lonely to depressed. Hold on to someone who genuinely cares. Reach out to a love one, a friend, a partner. Let yourself grieve but if you feel like you are having a hard time letting go and moving on, seek help. It is not a sign of weakness but rather a sign that you care not only for yourself but also to every person who matters to you.

The Last Time We Say Goodbye will make your heart ache, will make you laugh, will make you relive all the funny and happy moments you shared with your sibling(s), and will make you realize that it is okay to forgive and let go.

I would like to give this book 10 Stars if I can only do so!

Read this book. It ranks on top with All The Bright Places as one of the best books I've read so far.

Review: My Heart and Other Black Holes

Title: My Heart and Other Black Holes
Author: Jasmine Warga
Publisher: Balzer + Bray | HarperCollins
Release Date: February 10th 2015
Genre: Contemporary Romance | Teen & Young Adult | Suicide Fiction
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Kindle Edition
Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads...

Sixteen-year-old physics nerd Aysel is obsessed with plotting her own death. With a mother who can barely look at her without wincing, classmates who whisper behind her back, and a father whose violent crime rocked her small town, Aysel is ready to turn her potential energy into nothingness.

There’s only one problem: she’s not sure she has the courage to do it alone. But once she discovers a website with a section called Suicide Partners, Aysel’s convinced she’s found her solution: a teen boy with the username FrozenRobot (aka Roman) who’s haunted by a family tragedy is looking for a partner.

Even though Aysel and Roman have nothing in common, they slowly start to fill in each other’s broken lives. But as their suicide pact becomes more concrete, Aysel begins to question whether she really wants to go through with it. Ultimately, she must choose between wanting to die or trying to convince Roman to live so they can discover the potential of their energy together. Except that Roman may not be so easy to convince.

My Thoughts...

Maybe we all have darkness inside of us and some of us are better at dealing with it than others.

Let me just get out there that I was totally against suicide. Absolutely. I had a brother who died from leukemia at the age of 15. My Mom died battling a rare kidney disease and died at the age of 48. Both of them fought to stay alive but they were both taken at a young age. People who commit suicide, for me, were all insulting those who have fought and are fighting for their lives. I felt that if they only knew how much dying people would pay just to get another day to spend with their love ones...

A big BUT coming.

I've been reading a lot of suicide fiction, as some people on the net call these dark-themed Young Adult books. I've been reading a lot and have come to open my mind to accept the fact that majority of those who commit suicide are mentally ill people. I believe depression is the most common mental illness of suicidal persons. Am I right? Anyway, so I've been reading a lot about suicide lately and I've become more open-minded about it. I now know that there are persons out there who couldn't really get out of the abyss they are stuck in. No matter how hard they try, darkness is wrapped around them so tight there's no escaping it. The only solution they see is offing themselves in order to be free forever.

It's the same situation Aysel and Roman found themselves in. Depression was eating them from the inside and the only escape they saw was death. The only catch was they couldn't do it alone so they looked for a suicide partner. In Smooth Passages, Aysel and Roman found each other. Their goal was to help each other so as they won't back out from their death date.

This story is raw, honest, and intense. You have dig into this with an open mind in order to get through the complex emotions you'd feel while reading this. I love the bursts of humor and the sparks of hope. I love how the book brought out the potential to a positive change if there is only an effort from someone who cares.

When I was reading The Resurrection of Aubrey Miller, I wrote this: "You know, grief is a very powerful emotion. It can push you down to the bottom and you may never find your way out of it. If you lost someone, take your time to mourn, grieve. But after a while, when you feel yourself sliding down into that dark abyss, grab hold of a love one's hand. Or even the hand of someone who cares. You need it. Otherwise, you might drown in grief and forever be swallowed by the dark."

And I am still going to tell all those who are experiencing a slide into the dark to reach out. Please. Don't be afraid to reach out to a love one or anybody who cares. It will be your guiding light. It will help you get through the dark period of your life. Do not think for a minute that you can do it alone. Depression, when given a chance, will grip you and won't let go. To those who see someone sad and lonely most of the time, even when not really depressed, reach out to them. Be kind. Be compassionate. Each one of us needs it. Even a kind word or two can go a long way.

***

Additional Thoughts...

• I love the cover. It is unique and appealing especially to the younger crowd. When I first saw it, I thought it was a journal of some kind.
• The title is brilliant! I was sucked into putting it in my TBR just by the title alone. I swear, it's true! Ha-ha!
• The writing is also brilliant! Very easy to read and just the right kind of voice.

• One thing I had to ask the author, though, is a longer story. I felt bitin especially in the end. Don't get me wrong, the ending was good. I didn't want it changed but I wanted more from Georgia and Tyler. I felt like they were two misunderstood characters. I wanted Aysel to have her closure with her father. I wanted to hear from him. Other than that, I wouldn't change a thing.

DNF: The Lesser Dead

The first DNF book of 2015 is none other than...

Title: The Lesser Dead
Author: Christopher Buehlman
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: October 7th 2014
Genre: Paranormal | Urban Fantasy
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Kindle Edition
Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads...

The secret is, vampires are real and I am one.
The secret is, I’m stealing from you what is most truly yours and I’m not sorry—

New York City in 1978 is a dirty, dangerous place to live. And die. Joey Peacock knows this as well as anybody—he has spent the last forty years as an adolescent vampire, perfecting the routine he now enjoys: womanizing in punk clubs and discotheques, feeding by night, and sleeping by day with others of his kind in the macabre labyrinth under the city’s sidewalks.

The subways are his playground and his highway, shuttling him throughout Manhattan to bleed the unsuspecting in the Sheep Meadow of Central Park or in the backseats of Checker cabs, or even those in their own apartments who are too hypnotized by sitcoms to notice him opening their windows. It’s almost too easy.

Until one night he sees them hunting on his beloved subway. The children with the merry eyes. Vampires, like him…or not like him. Whatever they are, whatever their appearance means, the undead in the tunnels of Manhattan are not as safe as they once were.

And neither are the rest of us.

My Thoughts...

I am sorry but this book is just too noisy in my head. I would have wanted to finish reading just to see what all those 4 and 5-star reviews were all about but I just couldn't get past the noise brought on by too much yakkin by the main character. Too many words that are unnecessary to the story for me.

I stopped reading when I reached 25% of the book. It was giving me a headache. But then I saw the reviews in Goodreads again and I felt curious as to what made those people rate the book a 5-star. I picked it up again but I gave up when I reached 45% last night. It was just too much noise and I felt the story dragging. I wanted to know more about the children vampires but if I had to endure a couple more pages of noise in my head from Joey, I think I'm going to implode!

Still giving this book a single star, just for its creepy cover and captivating blurb.

Review: Let Me Go

Here are the first 5 books in the Archie Sheridan-Gretchen Lowell series by Chelsea Cain:
Heartsick
Sweetheart
Evil at Heart
The Night Season
Kill You Twice

All are 5-star books. Below is the 6th book, the last one so far, in the series...

Title: Let Me Go (Archie Sheridan & Gretchen Lowell #6)
Author: Chelsea Cain
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Release Date: August 13th 2013
Genre: Mystery-Thriller | Suspense Fiction | Crime
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Kindle Edition
Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads...

Detective Archie Sheridan is about to receive a birthday present from the last person he ever wants to see again: Gretchen Lowell.

The investigation into Jack Reynolds's drug enterprise is heating up and has Archie heading off to attend a masked Halloween party on Jack Reynolds's island, where Susan is a reluctant guest. But the next morning one of the guests is found murdered, and Archie quickly realizes that nothing is what it seems. Only one thing is clear: Gretchen is back, and she's been closer than anyone thinks. On Halloween Eve, with time running out, Archie will have to risk everything, and choose wisely whom to trust, if he and his loved ones are going to live through the night.

My Thoughts...

I think I haven't said enough just how much I love this series. I am in love with Archie Sheridan! I am rooting for Susan Ward and I have vague feelings towards Gretchen Lowell. Ha-ha!

Let Me Go began with the Beauty Killer Task Force, this time not being led by Detective Archie Sheridan anymore, hunting serial killer Gretchen Lowell again. She escape from the mental institution she was locked up in. It was Archie's birthday and she had a birthday present for him: her presence! Susan Ward, now no longer a reporter of The Herald but a freelance journalist, was in danger again. Her boyfriend, Leo Reynolds, lawyer and undercover DEA agent, was being suspected of the drug lords he was trying to take down, and Susan was used by Jack Reynolds, known drug lord and father of Leo, to make the latter follow the former's orders.

This story fucked with my mind, I am telling you. On the one hand, I was waiting for Archie to finally get over his obsession with Gretchen. On the other hand, I was waiting for Archie and Susan to finally get their feelings out in the open. But, then, there's Rachel, Archie's neighbor who satisfies his sexual needs. And then there's Gretchen, monitoring them all, still messing up with Archie's mind and using Susan in the process.

I just love this whole series! I can't wait to read the next one!

***

Started reading on February 20th and ended on February 21st.

Review: Kill You Twice

Here are the first 4 books in the Archie Sheridan-Gretchen Lowell series by Chelsea Cain:
Heartsick
Sweetheart
Evil at Heart
The Night Season

All are 5-star books. Below is the 5th book in the series...

Title: Kill You Twice (Archie Sheridan & Gretchen Lowell #5)
Author: Chelsea Cain
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Release Date: August 27th 2012
Genre: Mystery-Thriller | Suspense Fiction | Crime
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Kindle Edition
Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads...

Nothing makes Portland detective Archie Sheridan happier than knowing that Gretchen Lowell—the serial killer whose stunning beauty is belied by the gruesome murders she’s committed—is locked away in a psych ward. Archie can finally heal from the near-fatal physical and emotional wounds she’s inflicted on him and start moving on with his life.

To this end, Archie throws himself into the latest case to come across his desk: A cyclist has discovered a corpse in Mount Tabor Park on the eastern side of Portland. The man was gagged, skinned, and found hanging by his wrists from a tree. It’s the work of a killer bold and clever enough to torture his victim for hours on a sunny summer morning in a big public park and yet leave no trace.

And then Archie gets a message he can’t ignore—Gretchen claims to have inside knowledge about this grisly murder. Archie finally agrees to visit Gretchen, because he can’t risk losing his only lead in the case. At least, that’s what he tells himself... but the ties between Archie and Gretchen have always been stronger, deeper, and more complex than he’s willing to admit, even to himself. What game is she playing this time? And even more frightening, what long-hidden secrets from Gretchen’s past have been dredged up that someone would kill to protect?

My Thoughts...

This is, by far, the best book in the series! In this book, we get to see a glimpse of the real Gretchen Lowell. We were given a glimpse of her life before she became the Beauty Killer. It didn't give us a reason to love Gretchen but it gave us something to think of, a background of her.

Gretchen's teenage years. Her first victim. Someone she knew from the past who became a monster because of her. Then, there's Archie's continued obsession with her, tempered a bit by his feelings for Susan. No matter how much he represses his feelings for Susan, it comes to the surface when she's faced with danger which, in a way, is always caused by Gretchen.

I am really addicted to this series. If Chelsea Cain will write 20 more Archie Sheridan books, I swear I will read all of it!

***

Started reading on February 19th and ended on February 20th.

Review: The Night Season

Here are the first 3 books in the Archie Sheridan-Gretchen Lowell series by Chelsea Cain:
Heartsick
Sweetheart
Evil at Heart

All three are 5-star books. Below is the 4th book in the series...

Title: The Night Season (Archie Sheridan & Gretchen Lowell #4)
Author: Chelsea Cain
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Release Date: March 1st 2011
Genre: Mystery-Thriller | Suspense Fiction | Crime
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Kindle Edition
Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads...

He captured the Beauty Killer, one of the most deranged serial killers in the country. Now, Portland police detective Archie Sheridan faces a different kind of killer - a brutal rain season that has flooded the Willamette River, claiming several lives. As water levels rise, so does the fear. Because some of the victims didn't drown; they were murdered.

The first body contains a rare poison. Three others prove to be murders as well. And with each gruesome discovery the medical examiner uncovers, Archie begins to realize he has not escaped his nightmares, even with his deadliest enemy behind bars. The flood has washed up old skeletons from the past. And a ruthless new serial killer rules the night...

My Thoughts...

I have read some reviews before I started reading this 4th book in the series. I read that most people didn't like this one because there was less Gretchen Lowell and more Susan Ward, the reporter-journalist from The Herald. I may be biased because I am addicted to this series but I loved this book just as much as the first 3! I love kooky Susan and her mom, Bliss Mountain. I also love Henry Sobol, Archie Sheridan's partner, and Claire Masland, Henry's girlfriend. All three are detectives in the Beauty Killer Task Force hunting Gretchen.

In The Night Season, another serial killer surfaced attacking people with a mysterious weapon, leaving the victims dead, poisoned. It was only Detective Sobol who fought for his life after being poisoned, too, who came out of coma was able to tell Archie about the suspect.

I loved how Archie and Claire worried about Henry. I loved how Archie fought his fear of not being able to get to Susan in time. I loved how Archie stamped down on his guilt when another detective died.

I am in love with Archie Sheridan and I just can't help it! Ha-ha!

Read this book, Chelsea Cain fans. It's worth every minute you spend reading it!

***

Read this book in a couple of hours on February 18th.

DNF

Back in the day, I would slave through a book no matter how bad the writing or story was. I would continue reading until I get to the end. It didn't matter if I was getting angry with the book. It didn't matter that I was annoyed or irritated the whole time. What mattered back then was for me to finish the book. I was that strict with myself!

Now that I am getting older, I realized just how short life is. I am no longer subjecting myself to bad books. I stopped laboring over stories I have no interest in. I stopped reading books just because people are talking about it. I have discovered...

Did Not Finish.

The blurb is good so I'd pick up a book. A few chapters in, I'd realize that I am a) getting annoyed over the story arc, b) annoyed at the voice of the author, c) not that interested in or couldn't relate to the main characters, or d) just not interested period. If this happens, I stop reading. There are some instances when I would try to pick up the book again, going back to my old habit, but most of the time, when I stop, I really stop.

You will see some books with a DNF tag here. I hate it when I had to stop reading but there are just some stories which fail to command my attention enough to finish reading it.

Review: Evil at Heart

The first two books in the Archie Sheridan & Gretchen Lowell series by Chelsea Cain, Heartsick and Sweetheart, are both 5-star books for me. The review below is for the third book in the series.

Title: Evil at Heart (Archie Sheridan & Gretchen Lowell #3)
Author: Chelsea Cain
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Release Date: September 1st 2009
Genre: Mystery-Thriller | Suspense Fiction | Crime
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Kindle Edition
Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads...

Gretchen Lowell is still on the loose. These days, she’s more of a cause célèbre than a feared killer, thanks to sensationalist news coverage that has made her a star. Her face graces magazine covers weekly and there have been sightings of her around the world. Most shocking of all, Portland Herald reporter Susan Ward has uncovered a bizarre kind of fan club, which celebrates the number of days she’s been free.

Archie Sheridan hunted her for a decade, and after his last ploy to catch her went spectacularly wrong, remains hospitalized months later. When they last spoke, they entered a détente of sorts---Archie agreed not to kill himself if she agreed not to kill anyone else. But when a new body is found accompanied by Gretchen’s trademark heart, all bets are off and Archie is forced back into action. Has the Beauty Killer returned to her gruesome ways, or has the cult surrounding her created a whole new evil?

My Thoughts...

Unputdownable! There's no other word to describe this third book in the Archie Sheridan-Gretchen Lowell series by Chelsea Cain. Once you start reading, you wouldn't be able to do anything but continue reading, turning one page after another until you find yourself in the end of the story. You want to solve the mystery, go along for the thrill ride. It's that good!

And in this book, Archie finally grew some balls in facing Gretchen and putting her in place. I can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series.

***

I read this book a couple of hours into February 16th and then stopped to rest my eyes. I am now onto the 4th book in the series :)

Review: Sweetheart

The first book in the Archie Sheridan & Gretchen Lowell series by Chelsea Cain, Heartsick, was a 5-star book for me. The review below is for the second book in the series.

Title: Sweetheart (Archie Sheridan & Gretchen Lowell #2)
Author: Chelsea Cain
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Release Date: September 2nd 2008
Genre: Mystery-Thriller > Suspense Fiction > Crime
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Kindle Edition
Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads...

Portland detective Archie Sheridan, the former head of the Beauty Killer Task Force, hunted Gretchen Lowell for years before she kidnapped him, tortured him, and then let him go. Now that she is behind bars, Archie is finally piecing his life back together. He's returned home to his ex-wife and their two children. But no matter how hard Archie tries, he just can't stop thinking about Gretchen!

When the body of a young woman is discovered in Forest Park, Archie is reminded of the first corpse he discovered there a decade ago: it turned out to be the Beauty Killer's first victim, and Archie's first case. Then, the unthinkable happens: Gretchen escapes from prison, and once the news breaks, all of Portland goes on high alert; but secretly, Archie is relieved. He knows he's the only one who can capture Gretchen and now he has a plan to get out from under her thumb once and for all. Even if it means becoming her last victim!

My Thoughts...

Let me just get it out there that I am officially addicted to this series! I am devouring the pages and just digesting each chapter as quickly as I can. It's that addictive!

Sweetheart is the second book in the series. In this book, Archie Sheridan, lead detective in the Beauty Killer Task Force of Portland PD was back home with his wife and two kids. He's trying to go back to his normal life, pretending for the sake of his family and his partner and best friend, detective Henry Sobol. But he's struggling especially when he's alone, thinking of nobody else but the Beauty Killer herself, Gretchen Lowell. He's inexcusably drawn to her, connected to her, in ways no one could explain. He felt like Gretchen was the only one who truly knew him, what he is inside. So when Gretchen escaped from her guards while being transferred to another jail facility, Archie did the unthinkable... he sacrificed himself to catch Gretchen again!

Words are not enough to explain just how much I love this second book. It gave me a glimpse as to what going on inside the minds of both Archie and Gretchen, and what draws Archie to her that much. Sweetheart was really, really good! If I can give this book a 10-star, I'd do so.

***

I read this book in a couple of hours. This was my Valentine's Day 2015 read.

Review: Office Seduction Series

Title: Pleasing the Boss (Office Seduction #1)
Author: Emma Shortt
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Release Date: November 12th 2011
Genre: Adult > Contemporary Romance > Erotica
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Kindle Edition
Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads...

A chance meeting in a bar leads to the most erotic night of Pam's life. Only when she awakes, Gabe is gone, and naturally she doesn't expect to see him again. Until Monday morning that is, when she arrives at the office...and meets her new boss.

For Gabe, one night was never going to be enough. He wants Pam again and intends to have her. Will she be able to look past their working relationship? And if so, will she be able to please her boss?

My Thoughts...

A quick read, I liked this book because the chemistry between the lead characters seemed genuine and something that I could clearly understand. I also liked the fact that since this is an erotica, the male lead was truly "hungry" for the female lead's alone time with him. Ha-ha!

*** * ***

Title: Taming the Bad Girl (Office Seduction #2)
Author: Emma Shortt
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Release Date: February 24th 2012
Genre: Adult > Contemporary Romance > Erotica
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Kindle Edition
Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads...

She’d been falling in love with him for years, since the moment they first met, and after one night of mind blowing sex Lucy’s mind was made up. She wanted Giles forever...only he didn't want her back.

Four months later and Lucy’s life is a mess. A string of men, countless parties and a huge screw up at work, leave her with only one place to turn for help. Back to the man who broke her heart. The man she swore to loathe forever.

Will Giles want to help her get back on track, and if he does will he be able to look past her bad girl ways and tame her once and for all?

My Thoughts...

I would have given this book a 1.5 Star rating but I opted for 2 instead since I enjoyed the end of the book, anyway. I didn't like the female lead. She was such a hot mess! And in a bad way, mind you. I didn't like that she's so fickle-minded that she couldn't decide whether to give her whole to the male lead or not.

All in all, I enjoyed these two books by Emma Shortt. Quick reads for those looking for something in between heavy stories.

***

I read these two books back in 2014. I couldn't remember the exact date anymore.

The current trend in YA books.

I have noticed that Young Adult books these days are carrying more and more dark themes. Issues most kids these days face in their daily lives are being tackled by brave YA authors. Bullying, mental illnesses like depression, suicide... these issues are in YA books everyone talk about in social media. All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven, I Was Here by Gayle Forman, and many others released and will be released this year.

I'm actually all for it! I want kids to have insight as to what others think of these issues. I want kids to feel that they are not alone, that there are others dealing with the same problems/issues that they have.

What's your take on dark YA stories?

Read what Gayle Forman as to say about it.

Done Reading: Kidnapped

Before 2014 ended, I told myself that I should start reading the classics. I haven't read too many so I get ashamed when people talk about a classic book and I end up scratching my head because I didn't know anything about it. So, I made a goal for 2015 that I will read as many classics as I can. This is classics number one for 2015 for me...

As he sets off into the world to seek his last remaining kinsman, Uncle Ebenezer, young David Balfour has no idea of the hazards and intrigues that the encounter will bring. He finds his uncle to be a decrepit, miserly man, and soon realizes that Ebenezer is also a liar. But before he can fathom his machinations, David is tricked into boarding the brig Covenant, and bound for slavery in distant Carolina...

Overcoming the perils of sea and the turbulent fortunes that befall him after he is shipwrecked - including a charge of murder - David ultimately emerges triumphant to claim his rightful heritage.

My Thoughts...

I am not going to attempt to review this book. I am just going to give it a rating. It confused me and I had to read it again just to understand the story. I felt like it was translated badly for some reason and the reactions of the characters were not entirely right for the scene. But it could just be me. Ha-ha!

***

Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
Rating:

Review: Heartsick

Title: Heartsick (Archie Sheridan & Gretchen Lowell #1)
Author: Chelsea Cain
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Release Date: September 4th 2007
Genre: Mystery-Thriller > Suspense Fiction > Crime
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Kindle Edition
Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads...

Damaged Portland detective Archie Sheridan spent ten years tracking Gretchen Lowell, a beautiful serial killer, but in the end she was the one who caught him. Two years ago, Gretchen kidnapped Archie and tortured him for ten days, but instead of killing him, she mysteriously decided to let him go. She turned herself in, and now Gretchen has been locked away for the rest of her life, while Archie is in a prison of another kind---addicted to pain pills, unable to return to his old life, powerless to get those ten horrific days off his mind. Archie's a different person, his estranged wife says, and he knows she's right. He continues to visit Gretchen in prison once a week, saying that only he can get her to confess as to the whereabouts of more of her victims, but even he knows the truth---he can't stay away.

When another killer begins snatching teenage girls off the streets of Portland, Archie has to pull himself together enough to lead the new task force investigating the murders. A hungry young newspaper reporter, Susan Ward, begins profiling Archie and the investigation, which sparks a deadly game between Archie, Susan, the new killer, and even Gretchen. They need to catch a killer, and maybe somehow then Archie can free himself from Gretchen, once and for all.

My Thoughts...

Cringe-worthy. Absolutely creepy. A story to give you nightmares. Heartsick by Chelsea Cain is one very sick story perfect for those looking for a suspense fiction different from all the others out there.

The story began with Archie Sheridan, lead detective of the Beauty Killer Task Force, already broken, already sick from the ordeal he had to endure at the hands of the Beauty Killer herself, Gretchen Lowell. You know what I loved about this book? Archie, the lead character, is not the typical hero of the story. He is struggling with his demons. He is broken. He doesn't know how to heal himself because he's still very much in the middle of his own nightmare. Ms. Cain made sure that readers get to experience the same nightmare that Archie is dealing with.

A friend of mine asked what this series I am gushing about is. I told her that I have no idea who Chelsea Cain was before I began this series but now, she's one of my favorite authors! Brilliant writer and very raw emotions. I am jumping right into Sweetheart, the second book in the series.

Make sure you set aside time to check out the Archie Sheridan-Gretchen Lowell series of Chelsea Cain!

***

I began reading this book back in February 7th and finished reading last 12th. I read two more books in between that's why it took me this long to read the book. I would normally read this in a day or two because it's that good!

Review: I Was Here

Title: I Was Here
Author: Gayle Forman
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Release Date: January 27th 2015
Genre: Mystery-Thriller > Teen & Young Adult > Suicide Fiction
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Kindle Edition
Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads...

Cody and Meg were inseparable.
Two peas in a pod.
Until . . . they weren’t anymore.

When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.

My Thoughts...

First off, let me admit my mistake in reading I Was Here by Gayle Forman... I expected it to be just like, if not more than, All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. I just expected too much! Which is my biggest mistake because I should know better than to compare books touted as the same by their publishers' PR people. Every book out there is uniquely written. Keep that in mind.

I Was Here is about Cody and Meg, best friends, inseparable. Everyone in their small town call them the Pod, as in two peas in a pod. They planned to get out of town and go to college together. But changes took place in their lives when Meg got a scholarship in college and Cody got left behind. Changes that Cody denied and ignored until Meg took her own life for no apparent reason. And when Meg's parents asked Cody to pack the former's stuff in her room in the college flat Meg shared with three other students, Cody realized that her best friend was someone she didn't really knew. She had a life of her own in college and even kept a big problem from her all along.

I know that these days, dark stories are "in" in the teen and young adult world. This novel certainly deals with it. Depression. Mental illness. Suicide. Something that we are all aware of but ignores most of the time. I definitely applaud authors who deal with these issues and incorporate ways on how deal with it. I love how so many young people can relate to dark stories like this and come out stronger, braver, ready to kill their demons after reading.

This particular novel, though, lacks something to me. I felt that Cody was not a really good central character. I didn't feel the connection with her. Her vague feelings toward Ben in the beginning was blah to me. To be fair, I do love so many other things in this book particularly the formation of friendships with Alice, Richard, and Henry. I love the change in Cody's relationship with her Mom, Trisha, in the end. Most of all, I love how the story was concluded.

All in all, I am recommending this book to those who love dark stories with good endings. A fair warning, though, DO NOT compare I Was Here with other books witht close to the same premise out there. Just read this one without any prejudices or expectations.

***

Read in a few hours last February 6th overlapping towards the 7th.

Review: Dirty Secret (The Burke Brothers #1)

Title: Dirty Secret (The Burke Brothers #1)
Author: Emma Hart
Publisher: Pocket Star
Release Date: December 1st 2014
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Kindle Edition
Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads...

Conner Burke never expected Sofie Callahan to come back.

Where she’s been for the last two and half years is a mystery, and so is the reason she left in the first place. Now, though, she’s back in their hometown of Shelton Bay, South Carolina, at the same time Conner’s band Dirty B. is home on a tour break.

Sofie Callahan has spent the months since her father’s death avoiding anything to do with her hometown. But with her brother in Afghanistan, she has no choice but to return and sort out her father’s house, even if it means facing the boy she fell in love with and revealing the reason she left.

Conner has questions, and when his broken heart and her guilty one collide, Sofie has to start answering them. Their present is rocky, their future unknown. Only one thing is certain: Sofie’s daughter will change everything.

My Thoughts...

I love second-chance romance stories. Such stories give us hopeless romantics more reason to be in love! Ha-ha! Conner and Sofie's story is your typical teenage sweethearts who got separated due to major changes in their lives. Conner went on to become a famous singer along with his brothers while Sofie got pregnant with their baby. Insecurities, fears ate at Sofie's trust which made her escape their small town where everyone knows everybody's business.

But two hearts meant to be together will find its way back to each other. Love will heal the wounds of the past and forgiveness will make them believe in forever again.

Something is missing with this book. I can't put my finger on it but it was a quick read and it's really romantic. I just wish the bickering between Conner and Sofie was not every other scene. But, all in all, the book made me smile.

***

Read in a few hours last February 5th overlapping towards the 6th.

Review: All The Light We Cannot See

Title: All The Light We Cannot See
Author: Anthony Doerr
Publisher: Scribner
Release Date: May 6th 2014
Genre: Historical Fiction
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Kindle Edition
Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads...

Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris within walking distance of the Museum of Natural History where he works as the master of the locks (there are thousands of locks in the museum). When she is six, she goes blind, and her father builds her a model of their neighborhood, every house, every manhole, so she can memorize it with her fingers and navigate the real streets with her feet and cane. When the Germans occupy Paris, father and daughter flee to Saint-Malo on the Brittany coast, where Marie-Laure's agoraphobic great uncle lives in a tall, narrow house by the sea wall.

In another world in Germany, an orphan boy, Werner, grows up with his younger sister, Jutta, both enchanted by a crude radio Werner finds. He becomes a master at building and fixing radios, a talent that wins him a place at an elite and brutal military academy and, ultimately, makes him a highly specialized tracker of the Resistance. Werner travels through the heart of Hitler Youth to the far-flung outskirts of Russia, and finally into Saint-Malo, where his path converges with Marie-Laure.

My Thoughts...

Truth be told, I am not much into historical fiction novels. I used to be a huge fan of historical romance novels but I am now more into contemporary adult novels. Anthony Doerr's All The Light We Cannot See, though, is a Goodreads Choice 2014 Award winner and is included in various lists made by book blogs/sites of must-read books. So, I felt compelled to get a copy and read it.

And, boy, did I make the right decision!

This book was superbly written! A beautiful prose, full of haunting details of what it was like during the war. Marie-Laure and Werner's stories were told in a fashion where we could fathom how the important events in their lives took shape, amidst the chaos of a war. I love Marie's father, how he helped her cope with her blindness. I love Werner's and his sister Jutta's yearning to learn what's out there, beyond their attic room in the orphanage.

What made my heart ache so much more with this story was how everything in Marie and Werner's lives seem to happen so that their paths would cross. It felt to me like there was an invisible thread linking them together.

The war tore so many lives apart. You could feel the pain left in the lives of those who survived it. When you get to the end of the book, you would feel like you also survived the war and your heart will never be the same again.

***

I started reading this book back in January 30 but I was only able to dedicate an hour or two before I go to sleep so it took me a while to finish. I was done reading by the 5th of February.

Review: The Sinister Urge

When I began my Facebook page, Addicted to Reading, I told myself that I will not only put popular books there. I will also help indie authors and other not-so-popular books I feel deserving of notice so that others will have a chance to also read their books. A reader should have equal opportunity in book choices; not just the ones most people, or the media, are talking about.

So, I put out word through my page and Twitter that I am a bookworm available to review their books, whatever genre it may fall under.

Unfortunately, due to personal reasons, I didn't get to review books offered to me. I did participate in book cover reveals and social media blitz for some authors. I also accepted requests through my page to put out teasers, blurbs, and links for indie authors.

2015 is my year to finally fulfill this 'promise' I made to authors out there that I will help put out word about their books so others can find it. The first book I accepted was The Sinister Urge by Frances Newton.

Title: The Sinister Urge
Author: Frances Newton
Publisher: Amazon
Release Date: January 2015
Genre: Romance, Adult
Source: eBook given by Author
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Kindle Edition
Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads...

A love story with a twist in the tale...

Delve backstage and into the private lives of popular rockband Lilli And The Munsterz, high flying with everything to gain, but when that "Sinister Urge" becomes so irresistible could it threaten to destroy them?

After she dramatically quits as vocalist of The Wires on live television at the height of their fame, Lilli Morgan disappears from the music scene. Behind her she leaves the truths and rumours of her departure. Despite all this The Wires guitarist Adam still harbours his long held feelings for Lilli.

Now returning to the music world with her brother Elm and a handful of friends, Lilli forms Lilli And The Munsterz. No one, least of all Lilli herself, expects her to be shockingly reunited with The Wires when they're suddenly brought in as guest judges on a reality TV show.

My Thoughts...

Before anything else, let me get out there that this is a taboo love story. I have read other books with the same kind of romantic angle so reading about this kind of taboo is not new to me.

I know most people will scoff, most likely disgusted, at the idea of this kind of love affair but there are some things in this world that are totally incomprehensible except to those directly involved. I believe that's the reason some stories like this are written.

Anyway, The Sinister Urge is about Lilli and Elm. The blurb on Goodreads is a bit misleading in the sense that when you read it, you'd expect that something sinister is lurking in the shadows coming from the reunion with The Wires, Lilli's former band. There is something sinister lurking in the shadows bound to make life hard for both Lilli and Elm but only because they brought it on themselves. They chose to go against the tide, so to speak, so they should expect some resistance to their union.

I wouldn't dwell on what happened in the book anymore as I will give away too much in this review. Suffice it to say that the book was an easy read and, although I was not a big fan of the flashbacks most especially the seemingly unnecessary ones, it was all necessary to tie the story in the end. Will I read the sequel? Yes, I will! I want to know what happens to Lilli and Elm.

You know what quote came to mind when I finished reading the book? Love is a complicated emotion and there are no set rules or boundaries when it comes to it.


***

Disclaimer: This is an independent review. A PDF copy of this book was given to me by the author because she saw at Goodreads that I read a similar book in the past. I was under no obligation to review the book or give it any positive rating/promotion.

Review: Les Misérables

I should have done a formal review of this favorite classics of mine Les Misérables by Victor Hugo a long time ago. Right before the movie came out, to be exact, but I totally forgot to write the review. The movie was epic, by the way. It was one of the best adaptations I've ever seen!

Anyway, I posted that I was reading Les Misérables back in January 1st 2013. I actually completed reading it after a couple of days. Before my actual review, here's something about the book from Amazon...

Introducing one of the most famous characters in literature, Jean Valjean—the noble peasant imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread—Les Misérables ranks among the greatest novels of all time. In it, Victor Hugo takes readers deep into the Parisian underworld, immerses them in a battle between good and evil, and carries them to the barricades during the uprising of 1832 with a breathtaking realism that is unsurpassed in modern prose. Within his dramatic story are themes that capture the intellect and the emotions: crime and punishment, the relentless persecution of Valjean by Inspector Javert, the desperation of the prostitute Fantine, the amorality of the rogue Thénardier, and the universal desire to escape the prisons of our own minds. Les Misérables gave Victor Hugo a canvas upon which he portrayed his criticism of the French political and judicial systems, but the portrait that resulted is larger than life, epic in scope—an extravagant spectacle that dazzles the senses even as it touches the heart.

My Thoughts...

Les Misérables is one of my favorite classics. I love how Jean Valjean's kindness towards a lot of people helped him throughout his life. I loved how the lives of the characters parallel that of the lives most of us have now. The hardships, the battle between good and evil... it all happens in us every single day.

In the end, love triumphs and that's the most important thing of all!

***

Les Misérables rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Work in progress!

You might have noticed that I transferred my old book blog (Addicted to Reading) to this new one... Yes, I did! I am now officially book blogging here at Caffeinated Reading!

I hope you will follow this blog of mine. The navigation bar has links on where you can find me (Facebook, Twitter, etc.). If you want only bookish thoughts, you can find me at my Facebook page Addicted to Reading and at Goodreads. There are so many ways to connect to me but the fastest would be through my Facebook page and Twitter.

I can't wait to hear from you, guys!

And, by the way, book reviews, recommendations, and discoveries as well as bookish thoughts and quotes will be up within the day.

Stay tuned.

Happy first Monday of February 2015, people!

:)

Happy 2015!!! ♥♥♥

I am sorry I haven't been that active in posting here. I promised a lot of things but I was not able to do it. Forgive me because I was under a lot of stress the past second half of 2014 that I set aside everything else to focus on increasing my income.

Anyway, this 2015, I will be more active in reading, reviewing, and making sure that I help authors in promoting their work. I am also unveiling a BIG FEATURE here. It's all about MY WORK as an author! Yey!

Another thing that I want to focus on this blog is helping local authors get their books out there. I will read their work, review it, post the review in my Goodreads account, and promote it here, in my Facebook page, and in my Twitter account. I will feature local authors here and will try to get an interview with them.

I am excited for this year. I want to be active once again in the book blogging community. I want to be able to attend book signings, if I can, or just help others get their chance to meet their favorite authors.

Expect a lot of entries to be posted this year.

Happy, happy new year to all!

I know this will be a great year for us bookworms! Here's to more books from now until the 31st of December!

Yay!!!

♥♥♥