Book Review: Shadows and Dreams by Matthew Cody

Author: Matthew Cody
Series: ReMade #1.1
Audience: +16
Genre: Science Fiction
Publisher: Serial Box Publishing
Release Date: September 14th 2016
My Rating: 3.5 Cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

You live. You love. You Die. Now RUN. ReMade is a thrilling sci-fi adventure that will take readers past the boundaries of time, space, and even death.

This is the 1st episode of ReMade, a 15-episode serial from Serial Box Publishing. This episode was written by Matthew Cody.

Holden Black never imagined his crush knew his name, much less that he’d suddenly be driving her to a party. But life can change in a second, especially when you’re 16. A look. A flash of headlights. A scream. What do you do when the unexpected jumps straight to the unbelievable, the dream becomes a nightmare, and waking changes everything except your heart’s desire?

ReMade Season One: In one moment the lives of twenty-three teenagers are forever changed, and it’s not just because they all happen to die. “ReMade” in a world they barely recognize – one with robots, space elevators, and unchecked jungle – they must work together to survive. They came from different places, backgrounds, and families, and now they might be the last people on earth. Lost meets The Maze Runner in this exciting serial adventure.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley and Serial Box Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of this review in any way.

I've never read a serial before. It's a new concept for me, and since I love TV shows, I thought it would be awesome to see how that concept could be applied to a book.

Shadows and Dreams is a pretty interesting start for this story. I wasn't really sure exactly what was happening, at first. I felt as confused as Holden for a while there, not knowing what is true and what isn't. Then it all became a little clearer as the story went on.

Just like you would expect in a TV show episode, a lot of stuff happens. I think I was most confused about the fact that there aren't many things that were explained. It kind of felt like a pilot episode, not that that's a bad thing. I did, however, feel like the action moved a little bit too fast towards the end, compared to how long the actual book is. I wouldn't have had any issue with the pacing had the book been even 10-15 pages longer, because I would have had more time to get into the story, and to believe that Holden and his companions really were in danger from those robots.

I'm curious enough about what happens next to pick up the second "episode" and read it. I am also intrigued by the idea that each episode has a new author, or at least some of them. I am hoping we'll get to learn more about Holden and his companions, not just get introduced to new characters in each issue. All in all, a pretty interesting way to tell a story, and I'm going to keep reading to find out more.

Book Review: A Very Merry Manhattan Christmas by Darcie Boleyn

Author: Darcie Boleyn
Series: Standalone
Audience: +18
Genre: Chic Lit, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Canelo
Release Date: 07 Nov 2016
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Lucie Quigley hates Christmas. It’s the time of year when everything goes wrong in her life. So this year, when she’s asked to be a bridesmaid at her friend Petra’s Manhattan wedding, she jumps at the invitation to escape the festivities.

Dale Treharne has been best friends with Lucie for as long as he can remember. He’s used to looking out for his oldest friend and when she asks him to be her plus one, he can’t seem to find a reason to refuse. Instead, he sees it as a way to help Lucie get through what is, for her, the most miserable time of the year.

In New York, as the snow starts to fall, Lucie and Dale start to realise that their feelings run deeper than just friendship. But can they overcome their pasts, and make it a very merry Manhattan Christmas?

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Canelo in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of this review in any way.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I picked it up on a whim, because I was in the mood for some winter/Christmas themed books, and I am so glad I did!

Lucie is such a great heroine. She's not necessarily the female version of Grinch, like I first thought, her reasons for not enjoying the festive aspects of December are pretty understandable once you get to learn more about her backstory. It's pretty sad, actually, so I was very glad to see her accept that part of her life, come to terms with everything that happened and move on, in a way. I also liked that she accepted the fact that she shouldn't stick her nose where it didn't belong. I liked that about her, because even though her intentions might have been good, it still wasn't something she should have done.

Dale isn't the type of male character that makes me fall head over heels for. I liked him, because he seemed like a solid friend, a good partner, but in some way, I wanted him to be more assertive. I feel like he played the role that he thought Lucie needed him to play, completely disregarding what he wanted and what he needed. That said, I like how at times he found it in himself to tell Lucie some brutal truths, some things she needed to hear. So he had his moments, I just wish he had more moments like that.

I was a bit confused about something that happened with Lucie and Dale a few years prior, because I felt like it wasn't explored or explained as much as I would have wanted, but other than that, this was a really cute story about best friends and healing from past hurts. I thought it was the perfect read for this winter season.

Top Ten Tuesday #13: Top Ten 2017 Debuts I'm Excited For

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

Happy Tuesday and Happy New Year folks!

Today's topic is Top Ten 2017 Debuts I'm Excited For. As you probably can imagine, I'm super excited for a lot of debuts and a lot of 2017 book, because how could I not be excited for them??? I tried really hard to pick my top 10 out of that list (it was very difficult), but I made it. Here's my list:

1. Blood Rose Rebellion - Rosalyn Eves
2. Frostblood - Elly Blake

3. Poison's Kiss - Breeana Shields
4. Of Jenny And The Aliens - Ryan Gebhart
5. Shadow Run -  AdriAnne Strickland, Michael Miller

6. The Education Of Margot Sanchez - Lilliam Rivera
7. Girl Out Of Water - Laura Silverman

8. The Love Interest - Cale Dietrich
9. One Of Us Is Lying - Karen M. McManus
10. The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas

What about you? Which 2017 debuts are you most excited about?

Release Blitz: Satisfaction by Lexi Blake

  

The sizzling second novel in a sexy new contemporary romance series featuring the Lawless siblings—from New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake.

Brandon Lawless is a man on a mission: obtain the information that will clear his father’s name. He’s willing to do whatever it takes—even seduce his enemy’s personal assistant, the beautiful and innocent Carly Hendricks. But with her beguiling smile and captivating intelligence, Brandon soon realizes he doesn’t want to deceive Carly, he wants to win her over—both in the boardroom and the bedroom.

Then a twisted crime leaves Carly vulnerable and Brandon finds himself reeling. The stakes of his mission are now life or death—Carly’s life. And Brandon realizes he’s lost his heart to an amazing woman and his plan must succeed, because the stakes are no longer just revenge, but a once in a lifetime love.

   

Amazon | Amazon UK | iTunes | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play | All Romance eBooks | Print

 
“Are you absolutely sure you want to stay here?” Carly frowned as she brought out a blanket twenty minutes later. “The couch is pretty small. I’m not sure you’ll be comfortable on it.”

Bran was one hundred percent sure he wouldn’t be, but that wasn’t the point. He tugged his shirt over his head and folded it neatly. “I’ve slept in worse places. And I think it’s best I stay here tonight. Unless you want to come home with me.”

He knew she wasn’t going to take that option, but it would be nice. If Drew and Riley and Hatch met her, got to know her, they wouldn’t be so worried about her. All he’d had to do was spend a couple of hours with her to know that she was a deeply loyal woman. All he needed to do was prove he was worthy of that loyalty. She’d been bitten before and she was shy, but the man who gained her trust again would get everything from her.

She deserved to have someone who would watch her back, and that included ensuring that she could sleep the rest of the night. What little of it was left.

If someone showed up on her doorstep, he would take care of them. As viciously as he possibly could. He still intended to write her that check. He would do it because it would bring her peace of mind, but he was going to make sure none of them ever threatened her again. He would handle them in a way that would ensure her safety.

She shook her head. “You said your place is out in Palm Coast. That’s forty minutes away. I have to be at work pretty early in the morning.” She turned and started working on the couch, but not before he’d caught her staring at his chest. She smoothed out a sheet over the leather. “Why all the way out there? Why wouldn’t you set up here in St. Augustine?”

He would have to thank his brother-in-law for all the workouts. It was how they’d bonded. Case Taggart liked to lift weights and he’d brought Bran into his daily routine the last time he was in town. It wasn’t like Bran had been out of shape before, but Case’s daily regime had taken his lanky frame and honed it to something strong and masculine. He wished he could tell her how soft and sexy she looked in her pj’s. She had a robe wrapped around her, but every now and then it slipped open, revealing creamy skin and breasts he would love to get his hands on. He’d spent the majority of his evening watching women strip, but it was Carly in her pink tank top and perfectly respectable pajama bottoms that had his cock engaged. “We have some friends who have a condo out there and it’s outfitted with the best tech possible both computer-wise and security. Also, we thought it would be best if we were close but not too close. Patricia knew our parents quite well. One new person in her life who reminds her of old enemies won’t cause too much stress but if she were to see me and Drew, or worse, Hatch, she would definitely be suspicious. We’re simply being careful.”

“You have your mother’s coloring, but you don’t really look like her. You look more like your dad,” Carly said as she worked a pillow into a soft-looking pillowcase.

“I’m taller than he was, a bit more built. I looked more like him when I was smaller. Take off about thirty pounds of muscle, cut my hair into a military buzz, and put some glasses on me, and I look quite like him. Of course I’ve been told my father had an air of unmistakable genius about him that I don’t have.” Not that Hatch had put it that way. He’d explained that most people didn’t remember Benedict for his looks. They remembered his brilliant brain. “Drew is most like him. Another reason I thought it was better for me to go in instead of him. I think Drew would remind Patricia of our father.”

“I don’t know about that. She’s not very observant. One of the things you need to know about her is that she’s a narcissist. She doesn’t care about anything but herself and her bottom line.” She looked up at him. “Your brother is the man behind 4L?”

Naturally everyone was impressed with a thirty-four-year-old billionaire. “He is. I need you to understand that we have resources that we’ll use to take care of you. You’ll have a job at 4L if you want one. I’ll promise you that right now.”

“You need a personal assistant?” she said, her lips curling slightly.

He frowned because he hadn’t thought she’d ask that question. “No. I don’t really need one, but I promise I’ll find something for you. You won’t be left out in the cold. 4L is a big company and we own a lot of other companies. You would have your pick.”

Actually, Ellie could use a new PA. That wouldn’t be a bad fit. Ellie would be good to Carly and Bran spent a lot of time in New York. He could see her from time to time. He would have to think about it. He didn’t mention it, though, because Ellie’s last assistant had been brutally murdered in front of her. It wouldn’t give Carly great faith in them as a group.

She settled the pillow down and smoothed out the blanket. “I don’t know how I feel about a new job. Not that I’m not happy at the thought of keeping my house, but being a personal assistant wasn’t exactly my life plan. I wanted to write cookbooks. Well, I wanted to start out by editing them and work my way up.”

“It sounds like you want to be a chef.”

Her head shook slightly. “No. It’s different. I don’t want my own restaurant or to be in charge of a kitchen. I want to work at a lifestyle magazine. I love looking at decorating trends and cooking trends. A chef tends to focus on one type of cuisine. I want to try them all, not necessarily be a master at them. I like making people comfortable. At my heart, I’m a homemaker.”

Her home was lovely. The minute he’d walked in he’d felt a certain peace rush over him and not simply because the space was well decorated. Carly herself made a person feel at home.

Even when she was crying on his shoulder. She would probably run as fast as she could if she knew how much that had fed his soul. It wasn’t that he liked watching her cry. He’d enjoyed knowing he was helping her. He’d loved the way she’d clung to him, her arms tight around his body.

He probably shouldn’t tell her that, either.

           

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog int eh world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

   

2017 Beat The Backlist Challenge

This challenge is being hosted by Austine @ Novel Knight. We can pick our own level and include a list of books on our TBR. The point of this challenge is to read books that were published prior to 2017.

I get a bit too enthusiastic when it comes to buying books (mostly because I keep detecting empty spaces on my shelves and we can't have that *shakes head emphatically*). Add to this my lack of self-control when it comes to Netgalley and all those Amazon/Kobo/instafreebie freebies, and you get a huuuuge backlist TBR. I'm hoping to read at least 50 books for this challenge. I'm going to do something similar to what Austine, our lovely host, did, and plan to read 25 physical books and 25 e-books for this challenge. If I can read more than that, then YAY! Anyway, here's my list:

1. The Becoming - Jeanne C. Stein
2. The Pelican Brief - John Grisham
3. The Firm - John Grisham
4. The Gathering - Kelley Armstrong
5. Roverandom - J.R.R. Tolkien
6. The Children of Hurin - J.R.R. Tolkien
7. Outlander - Dianna Gabaldon
8. The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
9. The Martian - Andy Weir
10. Wedding Night - Sophie Kinsella
11. Unrivaled - Alyson Noel
12. Evening Class - Maeve Binchy
13. Dangerous Creatures - Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl
14. Dangerous Deception - Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl
15. The Taxidermist's Daughter - Kate Mosse
16. The Square Root Of Summer - Harriet Reuter Hapgood 
17. Girls In The Moon - Janet McNally
18. City of Weird: 30 Otherworldly Portland Tales - Gigi Little
19. The Palace - Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
20. Started For Ten - David Nicholls
21. Legacy - Hannah Fielding
22. The Chic Boutique On Baker Street - Rachel Dove
23. The Children Of Freedom - Marc Levy
24. Matilda - Roald Dahl
25. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
26. Ariel - Donna McDonnald
27. The Soul Summoner - Elicia Hyder
28. The Treemakers - Christina L. Rozelle
29. The Last Priestess - Elizabeth Baxter
30. More Than Exes - Elizabeth Briggs
31. Nefertiti's Heart - A.W. Exley
32. Netherworld - K.N. Lee
33. Novelista Girl - Meredith Schorr
34. Puck Buddies - Tara Brown
35. Finding Home - Lauren K. McKellar 
36. Unseen - Stephanie Erickson
37. The Color Of Water In July - Nora Carroll
38. Aurora Sky - Nikki Jefford
39. Dirty Little Secrets - Liliana Hart
40. Embers - Karen Ann Hopkins
41. The Faerie Guardian - Rachel Morgan
42. The Language of Souls - Lena Goldfinch
43. The Language of Sparrows - Rachel Phifer
44. Shimura Trouble - Sujata Massey
45. Graveyard Shift - Angela Roquet
46. Suspended - Sarah Noffke
47. Atlantis Riptide - Allie Burton
48. Delicate Ink - Carrie Ann Ryan
49. Marked - Elisabeth Naughton
50. The Dark Of Twilight - Kate Danley

*phew* That took way, way longer than expected! I also have a Goodreads shelf just for this challenge, to help keep everything organized. I might add books to this list, I don't know. 

And since Austine decided to make things even more interesting, I'm signing up for the Ravenclaws. (Although my other house, the Hufflepuffs, are also in my heart.) Good luck everyone and happy reading!

2016 End Of Year Survey

The Annual End Of Year Survey is hosted by Jamie @ The Perpetual Page-Turner

Note: The survey is for books you read throughout the year, no matter when they were published, and is not limited to just books that came out in 2016!!

READING STATS

Number Of Books You Read: 97

Number of Re-Reads: Strangely enough, only 1 reread this year. Which is very strange for me.

Genre You Read The Most From: Adult Urban Fantasy, followed really closely by Adult Erotic Contemporary Romance

BEST IN BOOKS

1. Best Book You Read In 2016?

Young Adult:

Adult:

Comic Books:

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

I'm always looking for new takes on really popular myths or fairy tales, and the Twisted Tales series is really one that has a ton of potential. Unfortunately, I can't say I was super-pleased with this installment.

 3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?  

The Raven Boys surprised me in a really good way. I'm actually excited to read the next books, because RONAN!

 4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?

Umm...I don't...know? I want to believe that at least one person read a book that I pushed on people, but I seriously have no idea!

 5. Best series you started in 2016? 

Young Adult

Adult

Comic

Best Sequel of 2016? 

Best Series Ender of 2016?

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2016?

Where do I start?? I'm actually proud to say that aside from a few books from my favorite authors, about 80% of the books I read this year are from new-to-me authors, so it's really hard to pick just one author. I'll pick my top 10 authors, how's that? I'm using a bullet list, because these are really favorites and there's no one better than the other.

• Paula Stokes
• Setta Jay
• Gena Showalter
• Nalini Singh
• Darynda Jones
• Adriana Mather
• Lexi Blake
• Jillian David
• Lisa Kessler
• Jenny Colgan

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

GATU wasn't my first book about mental illness, but it was my favorite.

It's been a while since I read some good historical fiction, so I'm glad that I got to read These Shallow Graves.

 8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

 9. Book You Read In 2016 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

If I ever manage to catch up to this series next year, I'll definitely re-read The Darkest Torment

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2016?

11. Most memorable character of 2016?

Ian Taggart from the Masters and Mercenaries series by Lexi Blake.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2016?

Although I struggled a little while reading it, I'll admit that The Raven Boys is written in such a unique style, that somehow sticks in your memory.

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2016?

This book made me question certain things I know about my country's history, made me want to do my own research and try to see history from a different perspective.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2016 to finally read? 

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2016?
16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2016?

Longest - 750 pp (1001 Dark Nights Bundle Six)

Shortest - 6 pp (The Wedding by Jennifer L. Armentrout)

17. Book That Shocked You The Most

18. OTP OF THE YEAR

Ian Taggart and Charlotte Dennis

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

I loved Jack's relationship with his younger brother. I can't exactly remember his name, but I remember loving the way Jack was when he was with his brother, and the robot he built...That might have made me tear up a little.

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2016 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

I read a lot of Hailey Edwards books this year, actually, and I loved them all, so it's really hard to pick just one.

21. Best Book You Read In 2016 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2016?

NIKOLAI/STURMHOND because how can you not love him??????

23. Best 2016 debut you read?

24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2016?

One word: Maggie. If you've read this book, then you know what I'm talking about.

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

I can't actually think of one book that did that. Do I even have a soul at this point??

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2016?

30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

I haven't felt the urge to yell at a book this year. A character, yes, but not at the entire book. So I've got nothing!

YOUR BLOGGING/BOOKISH LIFE

1. Favorite review that you wrote in 2016? I seem to discover new blogs every day almost, because of Twitter, and I don't have just one favorite new blog.

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog? 

Top Ten Tuesday #8: Top Ten Books I Wish I Could Read Again for the First Time

4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

As always, ARC August is fantastic. And I love all of the blog tours I'm in, otherwise I wouldn't keep doing them.

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2016?

Discovering new authors and new bloggers is the highlight of every year for me.

6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?

Balancing work and blogging has been a bit difficult. I'm hoping to get better and stop procrastinating this coming year :D

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

Book Review: #Static by Eric Laster
8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

All of my comic book review posts need some love.

9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

Booklending and Lendle


10.  Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

No, I didn't. I feel bad about that.

LOOKING AHEAD

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2015 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2017?

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2017 (non-debut)?

There are way too many books that I'm waiting for, honestly.

3. 2017 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

I have a shelf on Goodreads just for 2017 books, most of which are debuts. The list is, of course, growing.

 4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2017?

I don't know of any series that end in 2017, to be honest. I'm anxiously waiting for the sequel of And I Darken, How To Hang A Witch, Firstlife, Ruined, and Ever The Hunted, to name just a few.

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2017?

Write more discussion posts, write more reviews, learn to balance work and blogging, and definitely, definitely read more.

6. A 2017 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:

I haven't yet read any 2017 reads. But I'm open for recommendations if anyone has them.

Happy New Year, fellow book lovers!