January wrap-up & february TBR

It seems like january is a great reading month for me. Last year I read 7 books in a month for the first time, now I have read 6, which is a lot for me. Here are the books I have read:
1. Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets by J.K. Rowlling (5/5 stars)

2. The selection by Kiera Cass (4/5 stars)

3. The rime of the ancient mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (3.25/5 stars)

4. La belle dame sans merci by John Keats (4/5 stars)

5. Story of knights by Jane Bingham (2.5/5 stars)

6. The elite by Kiera Cass (3.5/5 stars)

As I don't succeed sticking to a TBR I'm going to try some challenges I set for myself at the begining of January. I decided that the number of challenges will be half of the numbers of books I have read last month so that I can play around with the books I want to read. These are the challenges I'm hoping to complete:
1. Read a nonfiction
2. Read a fairytale
3. Read Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban by J.K. Rowling

Top 6 Thursday: anticipated books (first half of 2018)

These book are in no particular order. Enjoy!

1. The Wright Secret by K.A. Linde

I was just his best friend’s little sister.

But he was always more than that to me.

After twelve years of pining over Patrick’s easy smile, baby blues, and captivating charm, I decide to take matters into my own hands—and completely blow my chance.

Who knew a self-proclaimed manwhore would decide to be a gentleman the first time I’m naked in his bed? Definitely, not me. But when I land there again, neither of us has any intention of stopping.

There’s only one problem: nobody can know. Especially not my three older brothers. If they found out, all hell would break loose.

So I’m willing to keep our secret...

Because I want him Wright here, right now.

2. One Small Thing By Erin Watt

Beth’s life hasn’t been the same since her sister died. Her parents try to lock her down, believing they can keep her safe by monitoring her every move. When Beth sneaks out to a party one night and meets the new guy in town, Chase, she’s thrilled to make a secret friend. It seems a small thing, just for her.

Only Beth doesn’t know how big her secret really is…

Fresh out of juvie and determined to start his life over, Chase has demons to face and much to atone for, including his part in the night Beth’s sister died. Beth, who has more reason than anyone to despise him, is willing to give him a second chance. A forbidden romance is the last thing either of them planned for senior year, but the more time they spend together, the deeper their feelings get.

Now Beth has a choice to make—follow the rules, or risk tearing everything apart…again.

3. More Than Words by Mia Sheridan

The moment she met Callen Hayes, eleven-year-old Jessica Creswell knew he was a broken prince. Her prince. They became each other's refuge, a safe and magical place far from their troubled lives. Until the day Callen kissed her--Jessica's first real, dreamy kiss—and then disappeared from her life without a word.

Years later, everyone knows who Callen Hayes is. Famous composer. Infamous bad boy. What no one knows is that Callen's music is now locked deep inside, trapped behind his own inner demons. It's only when he withdraws to France to drink his way through the darkness that Callen stumbles into the one person who makes the music return. Jessica. His Jessie. And she still tastes of fresh, sweet innocence . . . even as she sets his blood on fire.

But they don't belong in each other's worlds anymore. There are too many mistakes. Too many secrets. Too many lies. All they have is that instinctive longing, that need—and something that looks dangerously like love.

4. xo, Zach By Kendall Ryan

The first time we met was at a party.

Your ex arrived to show off the person he'd left you for last month, and you asked me to pretend to be your date.

I was more than happy to help. You were attractive, smart and witty--and that kiss we shared? It left me wanting you for days.

The second time we met was in my office on campus where we were both surprised to discover you were the new master’s degree student in poetry that I would be working with. You promised to be professional. I did no such thing.

The late nights and intense study sessions spent alongside you majorly throw me off my game. I want you, and I fight with myself daily over this fact.

I know I'm crass, that my sexual innuendos and dirty mouth annoy you, but I live for those two bright spots of color in your cheeks. If that's the only reaction I can get out of you, I'll gladly take it.

You hate Mondays so every Monday I slip an anonymous poem into your bag and your smile gets me through the week.

I think I'm falling for you, and I know it's wrong. I know that I'm only supposed to be the adviser to your program and nothing more, but here's the thing. I think you're falling for me too.

xo, Zach

5. Until You’re Mine By Cindi Madsen

You might’ve heard of me, Shane Knox, the guy who rose quickly through the MMA fighter ranks, only to crash just as fast. No one cares about personal reasons when it comes to losing fights and money. I’m determined to get back to where I was. For you to hear my name again. I’ve finally convinced the owner of Team Domination to take a chance and get me back in fighting—and winning—shape. What I didn’t bargain for is the guy’s spitfire of a daughter. Factor in her two professional-fighter brothers who are acting as my coaches and the fact that my career hangs in the balance, and Brooklyn’s the last girl I should be fantasizing about.

The closer we get, the more I want Brooklyn. The stakes are high, and I know there’s a big chance of both of us getting hurt, but I won’t stop until she’s mine.

6. Prince Charming by C. D. Reiss

Keaton Bridge is exactly the kind of guy a straight-arrow like Cassie doesn’t need.

For one thing, he’s a criminal—and she fights crime for a living. And being criminally handsome isn’t helping her say no, either. Everything about him screams trouble, from his British accent to his mysterious past.

And Cassie doesn’t do trouble.

Keaton’s got his own trouble. He’s trying to go legit, and an FBI agent hanging around is the last thing that will help his credibility. All it took was one night of passion to sear her into his skin. Now he can’t imagine living happily ever after without her.

All they have to do is walk away.

But neither of them ever walks away from danger.
Honorable mentions:

Midnight blue by L.J. Shen

It should have been easy.
I needed the money. He needed a babysitter to keep him from snorting himself to death.
I was cherry-picked especially for him. Responsible. Optimistic. Warm. Innocent.
The worst part is that I should have known better.
Alex Winslow. British rock star. Serial heartbreaker. Casanova with whiskey eyes.
“Don’t get near the devil in a leather jacket. He’ll chew you up and spit you out.”
Guess what? I didn’t listen.
I signed the contract.
World tour. Three months. Four Continents. One hundred shows.
My name is Indigo Bellamy, and I sold my soul to a tattooed god.
Problem was, my soul wasn’t enough for Alex Winslow. He ended up taking my body, too.
Then he took my heart.
Then he took my all.

The Lost Castle by Kristy Cambron

A thirteenth century castle, Chateau de Doux Reves, has been forgotten for generations, left to ruin in a storybook forest nestled deep in France's picturesque Loire Valley. It survived a sacking in the French Revolution, was brought back to life and fashioned into a storybook chateau in the Gilded Age, and was eventually felled and deserted after a disastrous fire in the 1930s.

As Ellie Carver sits by her grandmother's bedside, she hears stories of a castle . . . of lost love and a hidden chapel that played host to a secret fight in the World War II French resistance. But her grandmother is quickly slipping into the locked-down world of Alzheimer's, and Ellie must act fast if she wants to uncover the truth of her family's history.

Sparked by the discovery of a long forgotten family heirloom, Ellie embarks on a journey to French wine country to uncover the mystery surrounding The Sleeping Beauty--the castle so named for Charles Perrault's beloved fairy tale--and unearth its secrets before they're finally silenced by time.

Set in three different time periods--the French Revolution, World War II, and present day--The Lost Castle is a story of loves won and lost, of battles waged, and an enchanted castle that inspired the epic fairy tales time left behind.

Top 6 Thursday: Top 6 favorite books of 2017

2017 was a great reading year for me. I have read a total of 35 books which is the most I have ever read in one year by now and even though I hope to be able to read more and more I am pretty happy with the amount of books I have finished and the amazing stories I have discovered. Here are the 6 books I have enjoyed the most:

1. The boy who sneaks in my bedroom window by Kirsty Moseley (stand-alone)
   
   
   Summary:   
   Amber Walker and her older brother, Jake, have an abusive father. One night her brother's best friend, Liam, sees her crying and climbs through her bedroom window to comfort her. That one action sparks a love/hate relationship that spans over the next eight years. Liam is now a confident, flirty player who has never had a girlfriend before. Amber is still emotionally scarred from the abuse she suffered at the hands of her father. Together they make an unlikely pair. Their relationship has always been a rocky one, but what happens when Amber starts to view her brother's best friend a little differently? And how will her brother, who has always been a little overprotective, react when he finds out that the pair are growing closer? Find out in The Boy Who Sneaks In My Bedroom Window.
2. The perfection duology by Abbi Glines (5th and 6th in the Rosemary Beach series)
   
   
     Summary of Twisted Perfection: 
   Life outside of her house was a new experience for Della Sloane. The dark secrets of her past weren’t something she ever intended to share with anyone. They would never understand. No one would ever get close enough to find out. There was always a chance she’d go crazy sooner than they expected…
   
   Woods Kerrington had never been one to be attracted to fragile females. They seemed like too much work. He wasn’t in it for the work just the pleasure. A night full of naughty fun had been exactly what was on his mind when he’d laid eyes on the hot little number that didn’t know how to pump gas and needed some help.
   
   What he didn’t know was she was as fragile as they came.
   The the carefree girl who spoke her mind and didn’t care what the world thought of her was more breakable than he could ever imagine…
3. The Mistake by Elle Kenned(the second book in the off-campus series)
   
   Summary:  
   College junior John Logan can get any girl he wants. For this hockey star, life is a parade of parties and hook-ups, but behind his killer grins and easygoing charm, he hides growing despair about the dead-end road he’ll be forced to walk after graduation. A sexy encounter with freshman Grace Ivers is just the distraction he needs, but when a thoughtless mistake pushes her away, Logan plans to spend his final year proving to her that he’s worth a second chance.
   
   Now he’s going to need to up his game…
   
   After a less than stellar freshman year, Grace is back at Briar University, older, wiser, and so over the arrogant hockey player she nearly handed her V-card to. She’s not a charity case, and she’s not the quiet butterfly she was when they first hooked up. If Logan expects her to roll over and beg like all his other puck bunnies, he can think again. He wants her back? He’ll have to work for it. This time around, she’ll be the one in the driver’s seat…and she plans on driving him wild.
4. Unraveling you by Jessica Sorensen (the first book in the Unraveling you series)
   
   Summary:  
   Lyric Scott has always had a good life. Outgoing, spunky, and musically talented, she’s constantly surrounded by family and friends, yet she still feels there’s something missing.
   
   Then she meets her new next-door neighbor Ayden Gregory. Mysterious, sweet, and sad, Ayden is the exact opposite of Lyric and exactly what she needs to fill the void in her life.
   
   Ayden has been through more than most people and believes his life is always going to be rocky, so when he’s suddenly adopted by the Gregorys, he’s thrown for a turn. But even with a new, loving family, he still finds himself haunted by the memories of his old life. The only true breath of fresh air is when he’s with his best friend, Lyric Scott.
   
   As Lyric and Ayden grow closer, the lines of their friendship start to blur. But when Ayden's past unexpectedly pushes its way into his new life, their friendship and the newfound attraction will be tested.
   
   **A novel about Ella and Micha's daughter and Lila and Ethan's son from The Secret Series. However, this series can be read on its own.**
5. Every last breath by Jennifer L. Armentrout (third book in the Dark Elements series)
   
   Summary of the first book:
   One kiss could be the last.
   
   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.
   
   Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever.
   
   Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul.
   
   But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne… it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.
6. Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco (the first book in the Stalking Jack the Ripper series)
   

    
   Summary:
   Presented by James Patterson's new children's imprint, this deliciously creepy horror novel has a storyline inspired by the Ripper murders and an unexpected, blood-chilling conclusion...
   
   Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege, stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.
   
   Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers bring her close to her own sheltered world.

The dark element series. Another review

Fascinating. Thick! Steamy romance. Thick! Sexy demons and gorgeous fallen angels. Thick! Psychology. Thick! If you are interested in any of that you should certainly check out this series. Action-packed and tackling the human greatest fears these books will keep your attention in the most incredible way. The series follows Layla's story while she is figuring out who and what she is. Under the protection of Astroroth, The Crowned Prince of Hell, and Zayne, her life-long crush and best friend, Layla pretends to live a normal life. But nothing is even close to normality in her life, with an evil Upper-Level Demon who is trying to perform a ritual to bring to life a creature that can steal human souls just by a touch and the demon Lilith. Trying to get over all the lies they have been told, Layla, Roth, and Zayne has to face not only their own problems but also they need to stop a possible apocalypse.

During the whole series your feelings alternate as a timepiece from love to hate and hate to love. You get to see bits and pieces of yourself and it shows you multiple ways of thinking and of seeing life. A little at a time you get so attached to the characters that each end of another period from their life is heartbreaking, each of their loss is amplified through your own feelings. The happiness when you see the end and the sadness provoked by the end of this adventure will mess with your head.
Although the series might be more appealing for younger readers and teenagers, the dark elements series is worthy to be on the shelves of any fantasy fan, nonetheless.

November TBR

1. Every Last Breath by Jennifer L. Armentrout

2. Royce Rolls by Margaret Stohl

3. To all the boys I've loved before by Jenny Han

4.When we collided by Emery Lord

5. Egomaniac by Vi Keeland

6. Everything leads to you by Nina Lacour

7. Until Friday Night by Abbi Glines

How about writing...?

Even though I have a wild imagination, I am not the type of person who loved to write I grew found if it on my way through life. What I discover is that if you assign me a topic or a theme to write about I will avoid it as much as I can and leave it until the last possible moment undone. Although, what not many people know about me, it's that I would love to write or to create something unique by any kind.
For some time now I have this incredible idea of a book, I don't have a concrete outline, the characters or plot are not developed at all so far, but I am willing to give it a shot on the long run. To kick start this project I am going to participate in NaNoWriMo next month trying to get as far ahead in the novel as I possibly can. I have high expectations, but I am aware that I cannot handle everything in my life the same and that I have to prioritize from time to time, so I won't be mad on myself if I don't hit 50.000 words in a month. I am not going to say much about the book for now, only that it focuses on humanity and psychology. Of course, it's going to be literary fiction and that most likely I am going to post it on my Wattpad account as I finish the chapters to get some feedback from you!

I hope you enjoyed!

Everything, everything by Nicola Yoon. A review

Title: Everything, everything
Author: Nicola Yoon
Illustrations: David Yoon
Young adult stand-alone
Rating: 4/5 stars

REVIEW:
How you know what life is if you have never actually lived it? Living a lie your mother told you in order to protect you from the whole world, your existence could you accept that without a question? I have found it incredible the way Maddy teaches you how to live, to start fresh no matter your age. Her and Olly's love story manages to get through the ugly part of the universe and win a battle of lies and sorrow they knew nothing about.
Maddy an 18-year-old girl who has a rare, but famous disease making her allergic to the world. Her whole life is inside the house, she doesn't remember how it is to be outside. The only people she gets to see are her mother, Carla her nurse and from time to time one of her teachers. That was her life for 17 years, but when a family is moving next door, when she meets Olly something changes inside her. He's tall, lean and wearing all black, always black.

"Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster."
The way Nicola Yoon makes you live through her characters is simply amazing and more. The emotions are so real and it's so easy to connect with Maddy as a character that I found it hard to stop reading in order to do chores. Even with a busy schedule I this book is a quick summery read. I loved so much the concept and the execution of it, the fact that it doesn't use the love story as the main focus but more as a way to discover your true self. The diversity of the characters and the sneak peek of each and every problem they had, both together and separately outlines the idea that life will never be even close to perfection and the idea that we all go through tough times.

The reason why I gave this book four out of five stars was the "disappointing" ending because that is how I see it. From my point of view, it needed a little more development. Of course, I loved that Maddy ended up whit Oliver and the whole idea whit the book and the reward, but after they see each other in that shop what actually happens to them? How did Maddy know she is going to find Olly in his old house from New York? Perhaps if it wasn't a stand-alone it wouldn't have bothered me because I would have known I am going to get more of their life, of their own world, but as it is I could not leave it as it is. Maybe it only bothered me, maybe I over analyses the story trying to find some hidden meaning that is not there...
 Overall I think this book is a great read no matter your age. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a quick, emotional read that will catch your interest from the beginning.
I hope you enjoyed and until next time make the best of your time! Bye... 

August TBR another try to failure

I am one of the worst people when it comes to lists of books I want or have to finish mostly because I am a mood reader. Also, I cannot only read one book at a time which makes it hard to get motivated and finish the multiple books I am currently reading or re-reading due to the fact that there are so many other books I want to start. As I see it know this is also the main reason why I get into reading slumps and my lack of activity on this blog, or at least I think it is. What happens is that I end up with no motivation to finish any books, having so many to read at the same time, and I have no desire to write if I haven't finished a book in a while. This also makes sense to you, right? This month I will try my best to read no more than 2 books at a time and to choose from my shelf with books I still have to read the ones I am most excited or least excited to get to and anytime I have to start a new book I am only going to pick one from this list. So here we go, these are the books I am hoping to finish this month:
1. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne -Read

2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

3. Macbeth by William Shakespeare

 4. Vampires Academy by Richelle Mead

5. Frostbite (Vampires academy book 2) by Richelle Mead

6. Twisted Perfection by Abbi Glines - Read

7. Simple Perfection by Abbi Glines -Read

8. The Mistake by Elle Kennedy - Read

9.The Score by Elle Kennedy

10. Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone by J.K. Rowling -Read

I hope you are enjoying what is left of this summer and you will have discovered some incredible reads by the end of the month! Bye!

A court of thorns and roses review

 Title: A court of thorns and roses
 Author: Sarah J. Mass
 The first book in the A court of thorns and roses series
 My rating: 5/5 stars 

REVIEW (spoiler-free)
What would you do if you were offered a much better life than the one you had; with no worries and no work to do? Would you accept if that meant to leave your beloved family and the only life you knew behind just so you will live with a high fay for the rest of your days? Probably most people won't ever think about that considering that fairies do only exist in stories, but when a beast-like creature arrives in Feyre's house and demands her that, she has no other choice but to accept his offer. Dragged in a magical world, she only heard in legends, Feyre tries her best to return home.
Feyre's survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill - the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price ...Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jeweled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre's presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.
I have found her stubbornness and strength to be astonishing. Given the chance of an easy life, with as much food as she could ever want, plenty of time for painting breathtaking canvases and being said that her family is well taken care of, almost anyone I know would accept the situation happily. Also, when she manages to get back at her family and see again her father and sisters she decided she is in love with Tamlin, the high fay she lived with, and decides to return alone to his home even if she doesn't really know how to get there. That is a fool move in my opinion I mean she could have seen understood that so much earlier and skip us a lot of trouble. But I like the story and the characters nonetheless.
I also found surprisingly how much power she holds on to the promise she has made her mother; putting her family at first and later on Tamlin and his people above her safety, even above her life. This, from my point of view, is one of her biggest strengths.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good fantasy action-packed book, that will keep you guessing all along while reading. So what are you waiting for? Go on and try it on your own, I am dying to know your opinion about it after you have finished the book and learn about everything that's behind each scene.

I hope you enjoyed and until next time make the best of your time! Bye...

Summer reading challenge

As the summer holiday and summer are rapidly approaching I decided to make a reading challenge that will help me choose what to read. So this is the challenges:

1. A book that takes place during summer;
2. A book involving travel;
3. A book about a love story;
4. A “true crime” book;
5. A book based on a Fairytale;
6. A book about a band;
7. A book with a protagonist that has your occupation;
8. A book with a one-word title;
9. A book you've been meaning to read;
10. A cover buy
11. A book that is your favorite color;
12. A book you've been meaning to read;

You are allowed to double any of the challenges, but no more than that. Enjoy your summer and your reads!

June reading & blogging plans

As the summer holiday is fast approaching and I escaped for the most part of exams, I can finally get back into reading and blogging. So this is what I want to do with this month posts and reads:

On 3^rd- 4^th of June, 10^th - 11^th of June and from 23^rd to 30^th I am going to host a read-a-thon. The rules are simple: you read as much as you can during those days, but it has to complete one of the summer reading challenges or be on your summer To Be Read, in my case, it must be on my series I want to finish this summer. Feel free to read along with me.

For the blog I wish to diversify my post, not only literature and books but more like a lifestyle kind of posts. I am going to post stories from real life, discussions and tips and tricks that have helped me until now. I am really interested in nutrition and what a healthy lifestyle is involving and I had experimented around this lately. Maybe I am also going to upload some videos, who can tell for sure?

So just stick around if you want to find out more about my future posts! :)

Series I want to finish this summer

I have started many book series in the past, but haven't finished even half of them. This has to change and what better way to do that than to start from somewhere. This is the series I want to finish this summer:
1. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

I've started this series a while ago and I got to the 4th book, but something made me stop. This summer I am going to reread the first four books and I will finish this series or at least I hope so.
2. The Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

 
I've read the first book sometime last year and I LOVED it. I have finished it in one seating, it was completely addicting and one of the best books I have ever read, but again, from I don't know what reason, I haven't continued with the series and this has to change.
3. The Dark Elements by Jennifer L. Armentrout

It's not a mystery that I have enjoyed the first two books in this series in 2016, but once again something held me back from finishing it. Whit a little bit of luck I am going to finish & enjoy the last book this summer.

 4. The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare

Everyone knows that Cassandra Claire is a genius in writing and there is no surprise that her name appears everywhere. I read the first book last summer in a week. I remember being so sad that it ended and I postponed it until the last moment. This summer I have high hopes that I will finish all three books.
5. Rosemary Beach by Abbi Glines

Another series I started in 2016... What a year! I have finished the first four books, Blair and Rush's story and, despite the fact that it was a slow read for me, I really liked the way it was written. I am going to read these books in the summer not only because I have a lot of free time but also because I consider it's the best time of the year to read this series
6.The Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine

I know how bad it sounds, or maybe I don't... I don't remember anything from this series. NOTHING! Not even what books I have read. But I know it will be a fun quick read for summer so why not giving it a shot?
7. Sweet by Wendy Higgins

I read the first book last year in April during the boring classes. I remember all the fun I had and how appealing the story seemed to me. I am really curious if I am going to love the rest of the books just as much as the first.
8. Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
 I started the first book and never finished it. And before doing that I read the third book. Yeah, I'm not the best reader, not even close. I know everyone talks about these books and that I loved the movies so I am planning on a binge read the whole thing this summer to have my own opinion.

I don't expect to read all these books this summer, no matter how much I would love to, but I will give it a shot anyway. And who knows? Maybe I will have a pleasant surprise and finish most of them