Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Of Poseidon
by Anna Banks

Published: May 22nd 2012
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Format: Ebook
Pages: 336
Series: Of Poseidon #1
Source: From NetGalley for
review
Amazon |
Book Depository

Galen, a Syrena prince, searches land for a girl he's heard can communicate with fish.


It’s while Emma is on vacation at the beach that she meets Galen.

Although their connection is immediate and powerful, Galen's not fully convinced that Emma's the one he's been looking for.

That is, until a deadly encounter with a shark proves that Emma and her Gift may be the only thing that can save his kingdom.

He needs her help - no matter what the risk.

*MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS*

I smack into him as if shoved from behind. He doesn't budge, not an inch. Just holds my shoulders and waits. Maybe he's waiting for me to find my balance. Maybe he's waiting for me to gather my pride. I hope he's got all day.

I hear people passing on the boardwalk and imagine them staring. Best-case scenario, they think I know this guy, that we're hugging.
Worst-case scenario, they saw me totter like an intoxicated walrus into this complete stranger because I was looking down for a place to park our beach stuff.

Either way, he knows what happened. He knows my cheek is plastered to his bare chest. And there is definite humiliation waiting when I get around to looking up at him.

Sounds like a great start, right? It took me a while to form a picture of this scene in my head, but after I managed to do that, I had to laugh out a little. And seriously, it doesn't get easier for Emma!
Especially when the guy in the scene no. 1 moves to same place with her and for some weird reason starts in her school, too!
Galen's convinced Emma has "the gift", that she can communicate with the fish. They become quite close, but there's just one problem.. If Emma really has the gift, she's suppose to marry Galen's brother.

After the funny start, things get quite gruesome, when shark attacks Emma's best friend. And the best friend dies.
Galen's convinced Emma's a mermaid - sorry, syrena - but when she doesn't change during the shark attack, he's baffled. So he follows her to her hometown. Which is quite creepy and stalker-like. If you want to think things realistically. But since this is a book, you don't have to! And don't, 'cause otherwise you'll start feeling like Galen's a chauvinistic stalker.






Galen's pretty annoying sometimes, if you don't like that "I'm-man-and-tell-what-you-can-do"- stuff. IRL, I don't, and have had quite a few battles with hubby about that subject (yeah, he's wise enough and doesn't tell me what to do..), since I'm maybe even overly sensitive about it.
But I'm an escapist and everything's possible in books. I just get some guilty pleasure about that kind of male characters. Maybe he did went little overboard in occasions, like attacking other guys when you're jealouse, but I still didn't hate him ;)

Emma's a quite odd character, maybe? I don't really know how to describe her! She's suppose to be this sweet and cute and shy little girl, but it's pretty hard to picture her that way! Because she does act sometimes quite.. umh.. b*tchy. And she attacked Galen's sister! That was the WTH- moment of the book. But I do like when she's teasing Galen!

Then there's the whole "I-like-you-but-you-have-to-marry-my-brother-for-the-greater-good"- thing.. I do like how it was an obstacle on Emma's and Galens' way, but.. it was pretty extreme! I would've been okay with some smaller obstacle, like a lovetriangle. It sort of was, yes, but I can't really appreciate it, when there's no feelings involved.

It may sound like I hated this book, but I actually enjoyed it a lot, believe it or not!
Because somehow the things I just complained about are also the things I enjoyed. Not the beatings, but the whole idea behind it. The jealousy, deception, heartache.. You know, my usual guilty pleasures ;)

If there hadn't been violence, this probably would have received at least four and a half cupcakes! But it was pretty great as it was, and definitely a mermaid story worth reading!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for providing a reviewcopy!

Waiting on Wednesday #28

Hosted by Breaking the Spine!

Team Human by Justine Larbalestier, Sarah Rees Brennan

Expected publication July 3rd 2012


Just because Mel lives in New Whitby, a city founded by vampires, doesn’t mean she knows any of the blood-drinking undead personally.

They stay in their part of town; she says in hers.

Until the day a vampire shows up at her high school.
Worse yet, her best friend, Cathy, seems to be falling in love with him.

It’s up to Mel to save Cathy from a mistake she might regret for all eternity!

On top of trying to help Cathy (whether she wants it or not), Mel is investigating a mysterious disappearance for another friend and discovering the attractions of a certain vampire wannabe.

Combine all this with a cranky vampire cop, a number of unlikely romantic entanglements, and the occasional zombie, and soon Mel is hip-deep in an adventure that is equal parts hilarious and touching.

Teaser Tuesdays #26

By Should Be Reading!

"Yeah. As soon as he has a tutu, we'll begin."

"Those are skirts, yes? Lace and, umm.."

"Tulle. Jake said he'd like an orange one."

Canaan's brow creases.

"Well, his birthday's in January. I think something can be arranged."



Angel Eyes (Angel Eyes Trilogy #1) by Shannon Dittemore

Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen

Dark Kiss
by Michelle Rowen

Published: May 22nd 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: Ebook
Pages: 304
Series: Nightwatchers #1
Source: From NetGalley for review
Amazon |
Book Depository

I don't do dangerous.

Smart, über-careful, ordinary Samantha — that's me.

But I just couldn't pass up a surprise kiss from my number one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me.. something strange.

Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It's like part of me is missing — and I don't know if I can get it back.

Then there's Bishop. At first I thought he was just a street kid, but the secrets he's keeping are as intense as his unearthly blue eyes. If he's what I think he is, he may be the only one who can help me.

But something terrifying is closing in, and the one chance Bishop and I have to stop it means losing everything I ever wanted and embracing the darkness inside me.

*MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS*
Like with everyone else, the cover was the first thing I noticed. It's just amazing! Even the Elvis-hair. So, of course I had to see if the story was as good as the cover, and I was thrilled to find amazing story inside amazing covers!

We get straight to action when Sam is approached by her longtime crush. And he doesn't hold back! That's when Sam gets the most intriguing kiss ever. Though it's not such a good thing, cause that's when she losts her soul. Wasn't worth it, right?
Not long after that, Sam meets Bishop. A crazy streetkid, or that's what she thinks at first. Not long after we'll find out there's demons and angels involved, and that's never a good omen!

I really liked Sam as a character. She's genuine and loyal and still has something dark inside her. Though I must admit that I was occasionally annoyed by her saintness. You can be good without being naive. But it wasn't that bad, and I do admit that I'm hard to please! Sometimes I call female lead heartless, sometimes whiny and stupid. Sam was pretty well in balance, so I still was able to enjoy her part in the story.
I was little put off by the fact that everyone thinks Sam is something special. Okay, maybe not ordinary people, but every single supernatural she meets is like "Oooh, you so special!" the minute they see her. After a while it got kind of old, and I started to think "yeah, we got it, you're freaking special. Get over it!!".

Then there's the crazy, yet so hot, streetkid. Who isn't actually a streetkid, and since there's angels and demons involved.. Well, try guessing which he is ;)
Anyhow, I did like Bishop's (that's the crazy dude) character, but sometimes he just was missing.. character. Yeah. He's one of those stoic warriors, so guess that's traditional or something. But he's a fine guy, I guess.
Though I didn't really get the whole destined-to-be-together-thing with Sam and Bishop. You know, the mysteriuos connection which gives Bishop some sanity and makes them so drawn to each others. We'll probably find out the reason for this at some point, but it still bothers me a bit. Yeah, I love it, but they don't even know each other.
Nearly forgot that Bishop lost some points in the end of the book, when we'll find out the reason why he became an angel (or a demon, you don't know that yet!).

My favorite secondary character was without doubt Kraven! And there was some hint about a lovetriangle, and I actually wish Kraven gets the girl!
Because, like I mentioned earlier, Bishop did lack some character, when Kraven has twice as much. He's snarky and sarcastic and all evil, but actually quite a puppy and you just wanna cuddle him and let him sleep in your bed and.. *drooool* Yeah, I may have a thing for him.

This was definitely an entertaining read and it did have a little twist of its own, so it wasn't a replay of Hush, hush. I especially enjoyed the idea of angels and demons joining their forces! I know, that was a secret I wanted to keep, but it was one of this books original twists, so I couldn't hide it ;)
Hope you'll get your copy soon and start reading ASAP!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for providing a reviewcopy!

Musing Mondays #24

By Should Be Reading!

This week's musing asks…

What is the longest book you have ever read? How long did it take you to read it?

I could change the question from "ever" to "lately", because I seriously can't remember every book I've ever read :/ Since I've added my books to Goodreads only for a year, there's 27 years I can't remember..!

But one of the longest books I've read is Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix with 870 pages.
I know it's not that long, but I seriously can't remember the books I read 10 years ago when I had my "I'm such a smart teenager, look how big my book is!"- period..

And it took me day or two to read it.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Insurgent
by Veronica Roth

Published: May 1st 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Kindle Edition
Pages: 544
Series: Divergent #2
Source: Bought from Amazon
Amazon |
Book Depository

One choice can transform you — or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves — and herself — while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

*MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS*
Obviously, I got excited with Divergent (read the review here) so I couldn't wait to get my hands on Insurgent! *grin* And I'm happy to tell I wasn't disappointed!

Insurgent continues where Divergent left. Tris is somewhat on the run and everything is in chaos. And you would think that since we know who the bad guy is, it's gonna be an easy ride. Well, not exactly.. And you would think it's obvious who's the friend and who's the foe, but again, no!
Tris and pals will be travelling alot and thanks to that, we'll get to meet people from Amity, Candor, Erudite and Factionless.





At one point, I liked this more than Divergent. I especially liked the part where Tris is held as a captive. Call me sadist if you like, I just really liked that part for some reason!
But then I was getting pretty annoyed because of the fighting (by Tris and Four). Believe me, I love good fights, especially when there's a third wheel involved (and when I'm not doing the fighting), but they were fighting over nothing! Over and over again! It just wasn't that believable. There was some sweet moments that I liked, but those were pretty shortly described, which was a shame, since I love the details.

Tris is her usual self, and she just isn't my favorite person. She makes some pretty extreme choices and you're just like.. what the hell are you doing?? I do like her little better after reading Insurgent, but she still seems quite, you know, emotionless and cold. I'd like to see her as a damsel in distress more often.
Luckily, we get to see some of that in Insurgent. And Peter is involved! I'm really starting to like that asshat! And now I just hope we'll get a lovetriangle which Peter is part of!! Call me crazy.


Many people told me Insurgent has more action than Divergent, and they were right. And I was convinced that I'll hate Insurgent because of that. But I was proven wrong; Divergent did have action, but that was mostly just Dauntles acting crazy. But in Divergent all the action is for a cause. And apparently I like that kind of action, just didn't realize it before. Oh, the things you learn about yourself when reading!
Beside action, book is also filled with lies and betrayal. And it ends with a huge cliffhanger, which why you just have to read the third book!
Despite my doubts, I really enjoyed this book and can recommend it to everyone who's not afraid of some action!

I'm back!

Well, I've been back for few days now. But holidays aren't really my thing, because I'm always exhausted after those, that's why I've been sleeping for few days! But I promise, today I'll actually write something again!

Though I have to skip TBR Intervention this week, I read only netgalleys this week so I kind of just forgot about my TBR Intervention books.. :/ But next week! :)

Short hiatus!

I'll be gone a little while, since right about now (Sunday evening in Finland) I'm on airport and heading to Helsinki! And what I will be doing there?

I'm gonna see Metallica, yay! And Machine Head! Happy day! After that I'll probably just shop for two days and come back Wednesday. So see you soon! :)

TBR Intervention #3

Since I tend to be quite unorganized with my TBR- pile, I thought this kind of intervention was just the thing for me!

Hosted by Books4Juliet, Whatever You Can Still Betray & Refracted Light!


TBR Intervention

1. Post the book(s) you committed to read in your last TBR Intervention post and tell us something about it.

Did you finish it? Did you enjoy it or not? Post the link to your review (if you have one).

2. Post a book that you want to read and already own. Pick something that has been sitting on your shelf for too long now (6 months or longer).

Commit to read the book in the next couple of days or week (or two weeks).

1. THE BOOKS I COMMITTED TO READ:



Yeah, just how I suspected. I only managed to read Insurgent (review to come!) :P

I did like it, pretty much the same amount as Divergent.



2. THE BOOK I COMMIT TO READ THIS WEEK:



I'll try to read Fifty Shades of Grey and Dirty Blood, let's see how it goes!

Since I'll be taking a short hiatus (more about that later) and I have huuuge review pile, I'm not sure I'll make it :/ But I'll try!


What book did you chose for your TBR Intervention?

Cover Reveal: The Collector by Victoria Scott

The Collector (Dante Walker #1) by Victoria Scott

Expected publication March 2013


He makes good girls...bad.

Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence has made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple, weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.

Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal opportunity collector and doesn’t want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:

Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within 10 days.

Dante doesn’t know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky, Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect—he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector, and uncover emotions deeply buried.

So, what do you think? :)

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